


A Mark

by lokidiabolus



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Professor!Harry, Rivalmance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Student!Eggsy, inital dislike
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-04-28 16:29:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 56,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5097443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokidiabolus/pseuds/lokidiabolus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Hart was teaching for many years and he never had problems dealing with any student that came through his class. Until Eggsy Unwin, that is, whose character could be described as "problematic" at the best. It all goes to hell when after celebrating a soulmate bound of his colleague he finds himself in a similar situation with the worst person he could ever imagine - Eggsy Unwin in the flesh, ready to change his life into a living hell. Universe definitely hated him with passion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Soulmate

Students could be divided into several categories.

The first one had those smart ones that lied in books, never went to a party when there was a test next day, rarely stayed up late if it wasn’t for studying. Their success was based on their hard work and probably even parents that led them to it – _how_ was another topic.

The second category included rascals. Troublemakers that were ready to bully anyone just to get the right result, who didn’t care about rules and made their own. Their school results varied on their own laziness, but usually they preferred sports and thanks to that got a little less pressure from teachers. Unfair, but real.

The third had party people. Usually drop outs. They slept through the lesson, their notes were none-existent and they rarely made it to the second semester. Teachers rarely bothered with them.

The fourth and the last category was an unsorted bunch, chaotic and usually troublesome. They weren’t bullies but they were on a roster for dealing with right after them – causing fights, talking back to teachers, using influence of their parents to get them out of the trouble. They had their own category because they were usually surprisingly smart – but lazy.

Harry dealt with all of these kinds during his years – and maybe some more that didn’t really fit any of those labels. Diligent students were rare. There was always somebody who thought rules were not for them and did what they wanted.

When Harry started teaching, those people were his nightmare. How to deal with them? What to do? How to stop them from causing more trouble, to have respect? As years progressed, he stopped going easy on any of those who tried to gain superiority. It there were means of him getting his authority shaken because a kid decided to badmouth him in front of his class – well, so be it, but there was _always_ a retribution. Harry wasn’t a bad person, but the fact he had the power to make the troublemaker’s jaw drop while easily putting him back on his place with simple words was priceless.

True, he grew mean with age. Maybe a little bitter as well. The careful behaviour to treat everyone equally was a childish dream he already abandoned – people were individuals. Thinking an approach that worked on one would work on another was a myth.

It was fun to see the young teachers try though. Full of ideals, ready to give them their knowledge and excitement from it… it passed. With time. Especially now, when every youngster had a filthy mouth since they started being sociable.

And as this year started he just knew there are going to be problems the moment he had the first lesson with his new class. That remained during the first month and just slowly became truth on the edge of the second one.

“Mister Unwin,” he called the name as he did for probably hundredth time already. It sat on his tongue uncomfortably like it didn’t belong there and the more he had to deal with this person, the more he was sure of it.

The young blond boy was a nightmare. He talked back. He couldn’t sit still. He was coming late to class and early from it. He occasionally slept during it, or paid more attention to his phone than to the teacher, no matter who just lectured them.

On top of that he always got out of trouble because his family knew the headmaster. No matter what he did or how he behaved – he got it covered. No one’s word had a bigger authority than his, not even teacher’s. Harry tried, _once_ , when he felt the trouble stirring up during the lesson and ended up in an aftermath after with some violence between students and all he got was _they are young, they will grow out of it_.

“Professor Hart,” the british voice drawled and green eyes focused back at him, standing in front of the blackboard with an exasperated expression.

“How about you take a moment and go admire the hallway?” Harry held his gaze without a flinch, and sometimes it felt like Gary Unwin had been expecting it, like he was challenging him to lose the temper so he could gain another victory. “Preferably until the end of my class.”

“There are better things to admire, right in the room,” the boy put on a sweet smile Harry wanted to smudge off his face. But he said nothing thanks to years of practice how to keep his temper low, only gestured towards the door. Unwin waited one second, two, then five, and when Harry kept the silence still, he let out a sigh and stood up.

Of course he gathered his things as loudly as possible, putting up the show because he could, but he moved towards the door after and Harry felt his shoulders dropping back from the painful tenseness. Sometimes he didn’t know with the boy – there were times he would put up a fight and it never ended well – so far not from Harry’s experience, but he heard of it. Merlin had a lot more trouble with him at the beginning of the semester, and Harry always considered him the calmer one.

There was a snort coming from the other side of the classroom and Harry glanced there with an arched eyebrow.

“The same thing can apply to you, Mr. Hesketh,” he warned the other boy sternly. “If you feel inclined to join Mr. Unwin outside, feel free to do so.”

“Nah, I’m good,” the tall dark haired boy answered and Harry could see the smirk that was playing on his lips – definitely meant more for Unwin than Harry, but he didn’t like it anyway. The door clapped shut just a little while after and Harry could resume his lesson in peace, although with knowledge he was going to hear about it later.

***

The unnatural ruckus in the common room made Harry pause in front of the door, not really keen on jumping in an argument, if there wasn’t already another teacher behind him who denied him the possibility.

“Coming in, Professor?” a young, blond haired woman smiled at him and he couldn’t do anything else but nod, opening doors for her and then entering as well. There was a circle of teachers congratulating loudly and in their centre another woman seemed on verge of tears.

“What’s going on?” he blinked in confusion and Miss Tilde raised a big bottle of champagne she apparently brought with her and smiled widely at him.

“Amelia has the mark,” she said with a hint of admiration in her voice, along with her thick Swedish accent. “She found her soulmate, isn’t that wonderful?”

Harry’s eyes immediately fell on a dark handprint gracing her left elbow and his eyes went wide. A soulmate, out of blue.

“It was basically an accident,” Amelia was laughing at that moment, small droplets of tears slowly sliding down her cheek. She could barely contain herself and Harry understood, probably, since finding soulmate wasn’t as common as the community thought. “I was roller skating and stumbled – and he caught me! Right here, by my elbow!”

Her mark was there, palpable, in a perfect shape of somebody’s hand, like it was tattooed there. She was touching it almost dreamily and women around her were sighing in unison and wishing her the best.

Having a soulmate was a blessing – at least that was what people were saying about it. Finding one was difficult though, the scientific probability was reaching about 70% of couples actually finding theirs. But Harry thought it was lower. Some people were searching for their other halves actively, devoting their lives to it, and even after that never found it – and how could they, this was _never_ easy. You never knew _who_ your soulmate was until you touched them, hand on skin, the direct contact. The mark appeared only when the soulmate was right, a perfect handprint of the other, claiming them in a fated bond that ought to hold until they died.

A nice sentiment.

Young couples were rather crafty in it when they fell in love, always calculating _where_ the handprint would look cool, and then coming out disappointed when the _love of their life_ wasn’t the right one, and no mark appeared.

He had several depressed students in his classes, no matter the gender. And he also had overjoyed ones who found theirs and there was basically no chance to teach them something when others learned about it. Harry always let it be, because, all in all, it _was_ a big thing after all.

“I’m so jealous,” Miss Tilde sighed, putting the bottle on the table. “I’m afraid I’ll never find my soulmate... Isn’t that sad?”

“I believe it’s better not to dwell on it,” he offered a small smile. “It’s fate after all. If it choose you, it will do it without you believing or not.”

“Wise words,” she smiled back. “Do you, perhaps, have a soulmate?”

He chuckled and shook his head, but didn’t really give her another reply. Harry never dwelled on it. Never cared that much if he was going to be one of the lucky lot or not. If his life was orbiting only around that, he would probably go mad anyway, especially in this age.

He congratulated Amelia as well and even drank with them for a bit, celebrating her luck. For some reason it made his mood a little better.

***

“Hmm, I can smell alcohol.”

Harry wasn’t sure if it was hell punishing him, or he just had that bad luck, but the unwanted voice creeped on him anyway. He almost dropped his cigarette how he didn’t expect anyone to talk to him during the break, standing under the covered piece of a garden.

He hoped he seemed uninterested when he glanced over his shoulder at the blond boy standing there, but he probably glared like there was no tomorrow, like it or not.

Unwin took several steps closer, hands in his pockets, and seemed like he was pretending very hard to look like he came in peace. For some reason the school uniform only gave him even more _I’m up to no good_ look, especially with his messy hair like he just bedded somebody.

Well, it was fairly possible.

“Mr. Unwin,” Harry said his name with a palpable distaste and earned a shit-eating grin in return. “What a pleasure you stopped by.”

“I thought you’re going to be happy about that,” the blond shuffled closer. “Was just wondering, and realized in a great shock might I add, who had been drinking during the day in here. And here you are.”

“Guilty as charged,” Harry uttered dryly and returned to his cigarette. “Get to the point.”

“Would be rather unfortunate if you were caught, eh?” Unwin crossed his arms on his chest in a fake innocence. “Smoking and even drunk during the workday. In school.”

“Certainly,” he said coldly. Not even the cigarette was calming him down enough. “Would be also rather unfortunate if a student was caught roaming the school while he was supposed to be in a classroom, studying. Don’t you think?”

“I got told to admire the hallway,” the boy shrugged. “That’s what I’m doing.”

“This is a garden though,” Harry pointed out shortly. “You were not told that, as far as I recall.”

“Might have been another teacher,” a sly answer. “Miss Tilde is very forgiving.”

Oh right. Tilde. There was always something about these two, but Harry wasn’t one to judge. If the blond teacher thought starting an affair with a student was wise, who was he to stop her. Although she could have chosen somebody slightly less… talkative.

“Miss Tilde,” he gave him a short look and puffed the last drag from the cigarette. “Is also in no position to protect you when the shit hit the fan. Remember that, _boy_.”

He extinguished the glowing tip against the clay in a flowerbed and threw the cigarette end to the trash can, before turning back to the school, giving Unwin one last look before he started walking.

“We will see about that,” he heard a low grumble and it made him smirk.

“For sure.”

***

“I think the nice part of it was that she didn’t expect it to happen.”

“I agree,” Harry hummed while looking into another test. A diligent student, the marks were good.

He was rather sluggish this morning, even though he hadn’t been drinking _that_ much. Celebrating the whole soulmate thing was slightly bitter, he admitted, but also a heart-warming when he could see the honest joy in Amelia’s face.

“It’s probably the best way,” Merlin continued and Harry could swear he heard nostalgia in his voice.

“Jealous?” he teased him with a light chuckle and didn’t even need to look up to know Merlin was just trying to kill him with his eyes. Amelia’s _success_ was already circulating the school since yesterday and everybody talked about it in some way, so he wasn’t surprised even Merlin commented on it.

“And what, you’re not?” a revenge jab that made Harry laugh quietly. “Sometimes I feel the universe is playing with us.”

“Sometimes you’re right,” he agreed with him with a smile and took another test, correcting it absentmindedly. Nice score, minor mistakes. Another good student. He wrote points under the name in a sharp movement and in a last second noticed the signature and frowned.

“The way you’re glaring at the test I’m afraid to ask what they wrote to you there,” Merlin noted and footsteps approached him, until he stopped next to the table.

“Ah,” he noticed the name as well. “Unwin. I get it.”

Well, who didn’t get it. His name meant trouble.

“He’s smart,” Harry mumbled unhappily and put his test on the other pile. “I give him that.”

“Or cheats really well,” Merlin shrugged and Harry would probably agree if he didn’t know there was no damn way he cheated on this. He was watching him the whole lesson like he fell in love with him, how the blond happily pointed out when he was handing him the paper. Cheeky brat, that for sure. “Either way he’ll pass the class even if he was stupid like a seahorse. I still think his IQ is around that amount anyway.”

Problems with Unwin were notoriously well-known, but also on 80% connected to Charlie Hesketh. Those two were in continuous fight the moment they had seen each other, and if Harry didn’t know better, he would say Hesketh was the worse out of them. But on the other side – he knew Charlie was a calm and attentive student when Unwin wasn’t around. He couldn’t say the same thing about the blond.

He was just glad he had him only for one subject.

He let the topic go and waved Merlin off when the man’s first class started. Harry knew leaving correcting for the last moment was a bad habit, but sometimes he just didn’t have enough energy to deal with the wrong answers more than he did during the day. Of course he usually hated himself the next morning, but he did it again anyway the same day.

At least he had a reason why he left it out yesterday. He stayed with them in the bar until the late evening hours because it simply felt wrong to leave in such jolly mood.

His peaceful work was interrupted when doors opened abruptly ten minutes later with Miss Tilde storming in like somebody was chasing her, her eyes wide and breath hitching, and Harry was on his feet before he could even think of it.

“P-please,” she pointed at the entrance, wheezing a little, “there is a fight in the h-hallway, I couldn’t…“

He didn’t wait for her to finish and his legs were already carrying him forward. He didn’t even need indicators or advices _where_ the fight was taking place, since he heard the voices and low thuds echoing the hallway already.

The first glimpse he got was already bad enough – Unwin and Digby in a fight, a circle of excited young people cheering them up, and Harry’s nerves were already pumped to get both of them beaten up on a pile. The punches were flying here and there and Digby was apparently taking the worse side of it, his face full of bruises while Unwin slammed him to the ground like he didn’t know reason.

“Stop this instant!” Harry let his voice roar through the corridor, but it halted only the audience and not the participants. The crowd immediately accommodated him, making a room for him to come through where the two boys were trying to hurt the other without any means to stop. At that point Harry was really fed up and stepped in, pulling them apart like two mad dogs, growling and wanting to tear the other to pieces.

“I said enough!” he barked warningly. Digby immediately stiffened in his hold, eyes growing wide and intimidated, but Unwin was still moving forward, trying to disentangle from the grip and reach his rival.

“Are you a goddamn dog to be put _down_?!” Harry caught him by the back of his neck and pushed him on his knees, stopping him from another violent attack. A hand came around his wrist, trying to ease his grip, but Harry only squeezed him more and the movement stopped along with the swearing. Only harsh breaths filled the place and when Harry let go of Digby, the boy stumbled backwards and sat on his butt on the floor.

“Are you two raving _mad_?!” he gave Digby an angry look and seen him gulp down in fear. Well, at least some of them still had some respect. He couldn’t say the same of the shaking form of Unwin that trembled under his hand in quiet rage.

“And _you_ ,” he snarled at the blond he was still holding around the back of his neck. “Calm down or this is the last day you’re here as a student, are we clear? _Nobody_ would save you this time.”

No real answer came, although he could swear he heard his breath hitch a little, and all the resistance faltered, so he finally eased off his grip and let the boy go. Right the same moment his hand released the blond, several gasps filled the hallway from the students standing around and Harry’s heart probably stopped dead in his chest.

On the boy’s neck there was a black mark shaped like a hand, taking up the naked skin in an ugly colour, spreading from the centre to the side how Harry’s fingers were gripping him uncompromisingly.

On Harry’s wrist the similar mark darkened, sealing his fate like an unmerciful hangman.

The universe was definitely playing with him right now.


	2. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Harry,” King called him in a serious voice. “This is a serious matter. As much as I understand your reluctance to deal with him-“  
> “Thank you, really, thanks, just second him in it, don’t mind me over here, going slowly mad.”  
> “-you can’t possibly shut him out.”

The silence was unbearable. It suffocated him unmercifully and he didn’t understand how he could live through the vacuum that ruled the room, how he could still sit there and stare at the old man in a deadly paralysis. He watched his lips move, creating words, sentences, but nothing reached him except of the ringing in his ears, and static that was making mush of his brain.

He felt like his body wouldn’t move no matter how he tried to command it to do so. His wrist burned like thousands of fires, scorching him through the skin and to the bone, putting up a brand on him that would mark him forever.

It must have been shock. There was no other explanation why he would be unable to comprehend reality now in such a big scale. He could hear _nothing_.

The headmaster’s mouth had been moving again. His eyes were keeping check on Harry, but no sound came. No meaning.

He just needed a moment.

Right, he just needed to… take a deep breath. He tried to, but his lungs failed, his body refusing to move more than necessary.

No, this was wrong.

“Professor Hart,” he heard suddenly. The headmaster stopped talking. It wasn’t his voice, was it? “Professor.”

His body slowly eased off the tenseness and he felt his muscles working again, allowing him to look sideways from where the voice came from.

_Oh right._

Gary Unwin was sitting next to him, crouched and looking seriously _sick_ , his eyes dark and face pale and Harry could see the mark he left on his neck partly peeping from the back to the side where his fingers gripped him to stop him from fighting.

A mark. On his neck.

A soulmate mark. Like somebody attacked him.

Harry felt like throwing up.

He averted his eyes again, looking back at the headmaster, and realized the white noise was gone and he heard the silence filling the room to the brink, only clock ticking interrupted it.

“Can you hear me now, Harry?”

He managed to nod, his head hurting like hell.

“Eggsy?”

“Yeah,” the blond boy nodded, making Harry frown a little. _Eggsy_?

“So how are we going to deal with this mess?” Chester King intertwined his fingers together, looking at them over it like a shadow eminence. “I understand you both are really not in position to fire solutions right now, being shaken and all, but you do realize we have to deal with it.”

“ _How_ do you want to deal with the shite that I now look like I like being choked during sex?!” the sudden strength in Unwin’s voice made Harry gasp a little. “And with _him_!”

“Keeping it secret is already not an option,” King didn’t react, but he glared at the boy, quieting him down. “It spread through the school like a wildfire.”

No wonder. All of those that stood around them saw what happened.

“Harry,” he heard his name again and glanced back up, not even realizing he had been spacing out once more. “How do you want to proceed?”

“I don’t have any word in it?” Unwin retorted, and really, how vital he suddenly had been again. Harry couldn’t get past the border of an utter exhaustion, no matter how he tried.

“You said enough, _Eggsy_ ,” he hissed at the boy, receiving dead silence again. “And there is _nothing_ we can do about it. Or would. Just ignore it.”

“Ignore it?” Unwin’s voice again. “It’s a soulmark, smartass, you can’t just _ignore it_.”

“I said _silence_ ,” he glared at him shortly and the boy shrunk back into his seat.

 _Good._ He rarely made him show at least little of self-preservation, no matter how sharp he had been at him in the class. But again, his ego was boosted by the presence of other students; _here_ he had no one to back him up. Not even King, as it seemed, since the headmaster was keeping quiet as well.

“It’s unheard of,” King commented when both of them remained silent. “Such age difference… I’ve never saw anything like that before. Fifteen years was the maximum and it got rarely reached anyway. This…”

“That’s why I’m saying it should be ignored,” Harry interrupted him and flexed his hand. The burning was still strong and it started to spread to the tip of his fingers. How must the mark on the boy’s neck feel?

“Of course, ignore it, you’re fucking _old_ anyway,” a snarl came from his left. “Who cares that I’m damn twenty and have to deal with a freaking refused bond!”

Harry’s breath hitched and the mark flared out as if in reprimand.

“Harry,” King called him in a serious voice. “This is a serious matter. As much as I understand your reluctance to deal with him-“

“ _Thank you_ , really, _thanks,_ just second him in it, don’t mind me over here, going slowly mad.”

“-you can’t possibly shut him out.”

 _Watch me_ , Harry wanted to say. The defiance rose up in him like a tsunami wave, just to get the boy off his high horse, to snatch away the upper hand. With this, he would be able to _control_ Harry, even in a small way. A string was connecting them and he was sure this little bastard was going to pull at it whenever he was going to get a chance.

Harry didn’t want to. He wasn’t _interested_. He was twice of his age – a soulbound like that had no purpose. Fate? What a joke. People were supposed to be compatible, but this was like the universe was laughing at him – at both of them.

Of course, he wasn’t the only victim. It would be selfish to consider himself such – it wasn’t like Unwin could affect it anyhow, or do it only to enjoy Harry hating it. Neither of them did, and neither of them wanted to be stuck together in an unbreakable bond.

Nobody could choose their soulmate. No matter how hard they wished for it.

“Broken bonds _suck_ ,” he heard the blond mumbling. “They hurt and they drive you mad. I don’t want that.”

There was something raw in his voice and Harry didn’t like it.

“I don’t want lots of things,” he uttered coldly to shake off the feeling of actually pitying this boy. “One of them is dealing with you more than I have to, but we both can’t have everything, can we.”

“Being a selfish prick suits you,” came a nasty reply and Harry felt strength returning to him, as if only by the power of his sheer will.

_This little-_

“Stop!” King raised his voice threateningly. “Both of you.”

The silence got sharper now, almost painful. Unwin was breathing hard like he was holding back from a panic attack, or maybe just kept himself from hitting him, and Harry’s headache grew into monstrous proportions.

He just wanted to get out of here.

“I’m sure you know, Harry, that conscious denial of the bond is immoral,” Chester broke the vacuum with a renewed calm.

“As is guilt-tripping.”

“Touché,” the headmaster nodded, but corners of his mouth quirked up anyway. Harry didn’t like the expression; it reminded him of a winning dance. “I can’t tell you what to do. But be reasonable. Don’t shut him out.”

“Or you know what,” the blond suddenly spoke up, wheezing a little. “Do it. We will see who out of two of us loses it _first_. Wanna bet?”

“No,” Harry said resolutely and took a deep breath, gathering all the strength left to stand up. His legs felt weak. “This conversation is over. Go home to sleep. If you feel the same way I do, either of us may throw up soon.”

“What a joyous occasion,” King said rather unhappily and Harry thought it fitted.

***

His answering machine was beeping continuously for about three hours now. He didn’t understand _why_ he still owned that piece of crap, but it was probably his heavenly punishment for being such a _bad person_.

“Harry, call me, I heard you got bonded?!” another message beeped. He wasn’t sure who called. The voices were slowly sounding like one chaotic noise.

 _A wildfire_. That was an understanding. Tomorrow was going to be a disaster. He could already see the shocked faces of his students, maybe some mocking ones.

With Gary Unwin out of all possibilities. Merlin was going to jump out of the window. Harry was probably going to follow him.

But no. King was right – denying already known bond was immoral and cruel to both parties. The fact refused bonds hurt wasn’t scientifically proven, but at some point Harry believed it, at least a little. It wasn’t like he meant something bad for the boy. He said it himself – he was twenty. It was like closing the whole life for him with playing it stubborn and making him suffer.

But, on the other hand, there wasn’t anything else he could do. There was no _them_. No _future_. A pointless bond was a useless one.

 _Unheard of_.

“How should I deal with this?” His voice sounded hoarse and raspy. His wrist still hurt, like somebody dislocated it and then forced it back.

He still had it in front of his eyes – the moment he took of his hand and saw the dark colour pooling around the contours of the mark, filling the previously naked skin with darkness, seizing and marking, leaving an ugly scar that ought to remind both of them of what they had done.

The gasps that sounded through the hallway, the wide eyes and hushed whispers engulfing them, as if the time froze and the reality shattered into million pieces. Unwin’s shocked expression when he had seen the mark on Harry’s wrist, the sudden revelation and a hasty touch at the back of his neck where he _knew_ lied his mark. And then there was only the white noise, the static that drown everything else.

Was it the same for Amelia? She was so overwhelmed, so happy. When he grabbed her by her elbow, had she felt like the world fell through?

Or were they just wrong? A mistake?

 _A mistake_.

***

The class was silent. Unnaturally quiet. He heard somebody cough, disturbing the fragile balance until it died out again. His eyes watched a row by a row, looking at their hands scratching against papers, filling the questions, until he stopped at Unwin, hunched above his test, his brows furrowed.

“Fell in love again, Professor?”

Harry stiffened, eyes going wide, and Unwin raised his head with a quirked eyebrow – at first looking at Harry and then his eyes fell on the person who said that.

“Mr. Hesketh,” Harry turned his head towards the young man as well, trying to gain back his inner equilibrium. “Have something to say?”

“Nothing,” Charlie shrugged, but his lips were stretched in a wide grin, telling a wholesomely different story. “Just pointing out the obvious.”

“Oh?” Harry tilted his head to the side, his gaze turning icy cold.

“Just ignore him,” Unwin spoke up suddenly, clicking his pen. There was grin on his face as well and Harry didn’t like either of them. “He’s just jelly.”

“You wish,” Hesketh shot back, snorting when glancing back at Harry, an insult in his tone and eyes palpable. “There is nothing-,”

“Oh boy,” Unwin interrupted him with a dreamy sigh. “There _so is_.”

Harry sent them both to the hallway while planning murder. Feel sorry for Unwin? Never again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for such a grim chapter, Harry had a hart time dealing with it. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all your comments on the first chapter! I was so happy you liked it so far and I'm so grateful for your encouraging words and amazing messages <3 Thank you, seriously, it means so much!


	3. Responsibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you?” this time Harry gave him a short look, immediately noticing the small smirk that was playing the boy’s lips. “Got kicked out again?”  
> “Nah. Told her I don’t feel good,” another shrug. Tilde’s lesson, probably? “Withdrawal symptoms from the fresh bonding and all that shite.”  
> Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation.  
> “There is no such thing,” he informed him sternly and Unwin snorted.  
> “She doesn’t know.”

„I’d tell you that you could have ended up worse, but…“

“Don’t bother,” Harry stopped the punchline coming with a weary sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. All those numbers and letters were dancing on the paper without order and he couldn’t concentrate no matter what he did. The tests had to wait for him to get a bit more sane again.

“And how did _he_ take it?” Merlin crossed his arms on his chest, his face showing morbid curiosity. Harry wanted to stuff him somewhere, at least for an hour. He had been bombarded with those questions since he came to school today, his mood dropped to zero when Unwin decided to imply they were already _enjoying_ the benefits, and his class was watching him with wide eyes since he kicked both of those idiots out from the lesson.

Nobody was brave enough to add anything, thankfully, but when they were leaving, one of the students stopped near him and shyly said _congratulations_ before continuing onwards.

He wanted to ask _for what_ but stopped himself in time and just dismissed it completely.

“I think he’s fine,” he just said, not really able to summarize Unwin’s stance in one word that would make better sense. “Naturally, he’s trying to use it to his advantage.”

“Clever little bugger,” Merlin smirked, and he seemed to be suspiciously amused. Harry expected him to act disgusted, maybe, since his inclination to the young boy were dissatisfied at the best, but he had that little smile on his lips all the time and it made Harry quite nervous.

“So how did it feel like?”

Harry put down his pen and glanced at his colleague with an unhappy expression.

“That’s what you’re interested in?” he sighed. “How it _felt_?”

“Well, I’m sorry for the bubbling curiosity,” Merlin walked closer to Harry’s table and shrugged. “I’m not bonded, I don’t know how it can get.”

“Unpleasant,” Harry looked back into his papers, not even trying to recall the strange burning sensation that was still occasionally flaring up in his wrist. It was still there, tugging at his consciousness every time he tried to forget about it.

“For real?” Merlin blinked in surprise. “I thought it’s like… maybe a little overwhelming, but in a good sense? People always talk about it with such joy when they found their soulmate.”

“If their soulmate is not a kid 30 years younger, than yeah, I bet they do,” Harry uttered a little too bitterly even for his own liking, and that made Merlin step all the way to the table, and tap his long fingers against the desk.

“Harry,” he called his name, and Harry knew there was something he wouldn’t like to hear coming. “Like it or not, he’s yours now. And as much as you don’t want that, you’re his as well. That’s how the soulmate thing works.”

“Sorry for not being all cheerful about it,” Harry brushed him off, ignoring his presence completely, and earned a long sigh.

“Well, yeah, I don’t really blame you. But,” Merlin walked away again, stopping at the window. “It will come to you.”

That was probably the main thing that scared Harry about it so much. That one day, during a dark moment in it, his brain was going to decide that _yes_ , Gary Unwin was his soulmate and he was going to act accordingly.

He was just glad that so far he felt only the slight urge to disappear from the boy’s vicinity.

***

“No booze break today?”

Harry managed to stop the groan in time and just flicked off the ashes from the tip of his cigarette. He didn’t need to wait too long for the blond boy enter his field of vision, but he refused to show him any excessive reaction.

“It may surprise you, but I don’t drink in school on daily basis,” he kept his voice low and eyes stubbornly focused at the pouring rain that was gracing them since the morning. It was rather chilly in the garden and he regretted not taking a jacket with him, since every time the wind blew a little harder, he felt his skin prickling under the shirt.

“Oh yeah, I’m shocked,” the voice was closer now until Unwin was standing next to him, hands in pockets again, swinging on his feet like a petulant child.

“Your class?” Harry reminded him and saw how he shrugged by the corner of his eye.

“I’m allowed to be here, if you’re asking that.”

“Are you?” this time Harry gave him a short look, immediately noticing the small smirk that was playing the boy’s lips. “Got kicked out again?”

“Nah. Told her I don’t feel good,” another shrug. Tilde’s lesson, probably? “Withdrawal symptoms from the fresh bonding and all that shite.”

Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“There is no such thing,” he informed him sternly and Unwin snorted.

“She doesn’t know.”

 _Typical_.

He brought the cigarette back to his lips, breathing in an unhealthy dose of nicotine and tried to calm down somehow. The boy’s presence was slowly seeping into his consciousness like poison, and really, _no_ , he didn’t want to give him another reason how to challenge him.

“And I think there is, anyway,” Unwin spoke up again, this time a tad quieter. “At least I can still feel it.”

Harry hummed – he would be lying if he said there was nothing anymore from the yesterday experience. It swallowed him so thoroughly that when he closed his eyes, he still had a feeling he was falling at times.

He couldn’t help himself but look at the place where Unwin’s mark was, now perfectly hidden under the collar of his hoodie, and his hand itched.

“You could have at least thought of a better place,” a jab with strange familiarity, as if talks like those were on daily basis, and Harry tore his eyes from the boy with dissatisfied grumble. “Now it looks like we are two kinky fuckers.”

“You could have listened to me when I said enough for the first time,” he shot back because there was no other way how to win that with him than agree to his little game. “At that point _nothing_ would happen.”

“Oh, right, that’s what you’d have wanted,” an evident distaste creeped even to Unwin’s voice now and Harry refused to look at him. “Stay in your little responsibility-free world, eh?”

“If you fancy yourself enough to think of yourself as _my_ responsibility, then you’re mistaking me for your father,” Harry uttered, earning a scoff.

“My father would never run away from a soul bond.”

It sounded rather bitter and it made Harry glance at him again with a raised eyebrow. Unwin’s face had been like a cold mask and it changed the air somehow around them. He wasn’t that cheeky brat all of sudden – it felt like he grew older and was ready to prove some huge point that could make Harry re-evaluate life choices.

He definitely didn’t want that.

“As far as I know,” he decided not to let it go and flicked ashes off again, watching it disappearing in the rain. “I’m _not_ running away.”

Another snort.

“Yeah, if you’re thinking _this_ is dealing with it properly, then I have bad news for you,” the blond told him sharply.

“Because it’s absolutely normal to suddenly threw away all the time we have been antagonizing each other and play best friends,” Harry barked out a jaded laugh and threw the cigarette on the floor, stepping at it to extinguish the fire. “What a joke.”

Unwin said nothing, but there was an evident anger in his eyes.

“Look, _boy_ ,” Harry turned to him with a long sigh. “You can’t possibly expect that, no matter what were your illusions of a soulmate. Maybe with somebody else-,”

“I _can’t_ have somebody else,” Unwin interrupted him with a low growl. “If you haven’t noticed. This is how cards are dealt.”

His body seemed ready to fight and Harry felt himself balling his hands into fists as well, just to stop an urge to reach out and shake some sense to him.

“What do you expect me to do?” he groaned, his patience running thin. “Pretend I love you?”

There was the hitch of the boy’s breath again and his eyes dimmed slightly.

“Pretend to care?” a low whisper followed, his shoulders dropped low like all the fight left him. It was a strange change. “At least a little.”

Pretend to care. Caring for somebody you’d rather keep yourself away from was a hard task – Unwin had to see that. They were never on good terms; from the first time they saw each other there was an evident dislike apparent.

If the soulbound was supposed to change that, it didn’t work.

“Because that’s what we both want,” Harry couldn’t help himself but shake his head at that. “I don’t think I can do that.”

“Then try!” a sudden outburst surprised him and Unwin grabbed his wrist and pulled at it, the mark burning again with vengeance. “You have no fucking idea what can a bad bond do, you fucker! Like it wasn’t enough I had been throwing up the whole night yesterday-,”

“What?” Harry’s eyes grew wide and it was like being seized by a fire chain, how the boy’s fingers curled around his wrist, refusing to let go.

“If you think you can just push me away without consequences, you’re fucking wrong-!”

“Calm down!”

Another tug, but Unwin shut up, breathing deeply. For a moment there was almost palpable tension between them, electricity, Harry would say, where one wrong move would cause explosion, until the grip on his wrist eased off and Unwin let go.

“You can’t do that to me,” he hissed stubbornly. “You _can’t_.”

He was shaking. His shoulders trembled. Harry didn’t know what to say, how to react, like all possible answers he prepared disappeared in thin air, so he just stood there, dumbfounded.

Well, there was a reason why he never had kids. He sucked with kids.

“Please.”

He took a sharp breath, the single word stabbing him right in the middle of his chest. It was so quiet, so simple and absolutely unfair. But Gary Unwin – this thin, blond nothing that stepped into his life like a hurricane – was now looking at him and he appeared so _tired_ and _sad_ Harry just couldn’t stop the guilt eating him alive.

“Alright,” his mouth moved, almost by itself. “ _Alright_ already.”

He almost didn’t catch the flurry of moves, but then there were lips on his and in another second they were gone along with the pressure, and Unwin was grinning at him cheekily like he just won something.

“Gotcha,” he just piped and before Harry could lose it and probably catch him by the collar and scold him like a misbehaving kid, he was running back into the building like a rabbit.

“No!” he shouted already too late after him and he could have sworn he heard that little bastard laughing in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Just a word of advice for the next time, my dear Harry. Never trust Eggsy ;)
> 
> Also! A bit out of the story, but! Today my colleague brought her 4 years old son to work, a little blond angel, and he's so adorable and everything and then suddenly bam! He opened his mouth and it was a cheeky little brat :D Immediately thought of Eggsy :D


	4. Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh,” the man voiced out lamely. “Alright. I’ll leave him with you then.”  
> He turned around, ready to go away, until he stopped himself in the last moment and glanced back at them.  
> “Congrats, I guess,” he offered, apparently not very convinced there was anything to celebrate, and when neither of them thanked him, he left them to it.   
> “I wish people would stop saying that,” Eggsy mumbled, more to himself than to Hart, but an agreeable hum came anyway.

Rest of the days were bit of a blur when Eggsy left the school’s building. He felt like all the strength got sapped from him the moment he set his foot home and any other activity he normally did during the free time got painfully denied. All he could do was fall to his bed and sleep, occasionally waking up because the back of his neck hurt like bitch and the burning sensation was making him sick enough to go throw up anything he ate during the day.

Well, at least it wasn’t that bad as the first night after they bonded. He thought he was going to die for sure while his mother probably planned murder of his soulmate.

Not that he didn’t. That first night, if Harry Hart was somewhere near him, he would probably crush his head in the toilet bowl and stuffed him through a sink.

_“Ignore it. We can’t have everything we want, can we.”_

It made him so fucking mad. Raging even, that for that little insane moment he was up to saying _fine_ and then willingly go mad in a corner while wishing the same thing for the guy. He knew what shite could happen if you decided to be a prick to somebody who was fated for you.

And well, fuck their luck, but they were in it together now and nobody could do shite about it. Not him, not Hart, not his mother who apparently wanted to, since she seemed even madder than he was about his first throwing up night (he heard about twenty times that he was supposed to be with the soulmate the first several days and this was wrong, while he retched out breakfast, lunch and then there was nothing left in him and he still couldn’t leave the toilet bowl). Not even Chester could, although at some point Eggsy thought if anybody had the power, it would be him. He wasn’t even sure who he sided on with, since it seemed like Hart’s opinion had more value than Eggsy’s.

 _Ugh, old geezers_.

“Unwin!”

He blinked, the reality returning to him in a fast rush, and saw their PE teacher beckoning him to the starting line. Oh yeah, the PE. It felt like this night passed like a bad dream and he didn’t even sleep, and all he could do during today’s exercises was barely catching his breath while doing something painfully mundane.

“Stop spacing out,” Percival gave him a strict look and nodded towards the line. He always reminded him of an executioner when he kept up this frowned look, especially with the glasses. “You’re up.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled and walked at the starting line. His feet felt rather heavy, he definitely wasn’t going to do any record today. If any at all. Although he had to admit since the talk they had with Hart yesterday in the garden, the burning lessened to a manageable degree. Although _manageable_ was still more like _I’ll kill that bastard tomorrow_. If he didn’t know it would be him who was going to get the worse of it, he would let him drown in it for a while, to know how it feels when the mark was taking its toll.

He should have grabbed him by his dick that day; it would at least hurt him more than a fucking wrist. Although he probably didn’t even had one, since he had no balls to face it like a man.

_Adult my arse._

“Wait a moment,” Percival interrupted his thoughts again when Eggsy crouched at the position, breathing deeply to gain some strength before making a fool of himself in front of the whole class. He glanced back at the man, raising an eyebrow at the interruption, and saw him walking closer, his eyes immediately glued to the boy’s neck.

Well, yeah, he wore only a t-shirt without anything that would cover the mark, but he thought it was useless to try, since everyone knew anyway. It would only made them more snarky about it, and as much as his soulmate was a shite of a person, he didn’t want to give anyone satisfaction of admitting that.

“You got bonded?” the question still came and it sounded surprised, which made no sense. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know about it.

Eggsy still offered a sheepish smile and shrugged, trying to keep it off topic as long as he could. People were normally overjoyed; he understood he didn’t look like one of this _happy lot_.

“When?” Percival watched him like a concerned parent and Eggsy had to repress the urge to roll his eyes.

“Two days ago,” he mumbled, trying to keep his voice low when he noticed other boys watching them curiously. Hesketh was already grinning like a loon.

 _Fucker_.

The next thing he knew his wrist was grabbed and the teacher measured his pulse point with his thumb, frowning like je just got a medical degree, and seriously, what?

“Is something wrong?” Eggsy tried to keep a stony face, but when the man checked even his pupils, it started to be kind of ridiculous.

“I was wondering why you are so sluggish today,” Percival grumbled, apparently dissatisfied with his measuring results. “Two days is a short time, you shouldn’t be here if you’re feeling bad. Where is your soulmate now?”

“Uh…” Eggsy thought through the schedule. He remembered all rotations of Professors he had class with, in case he would run into one of them while playing hooky. Hart’s classes were quite easy to memorize, and since all this shite happened, it probably got burned into his brain as well.

He glanced towards the university building and shrugged again. “In class?”

“Oh, so they’re here, good,” Percival turned around and beckoned him to follow. “Come.”

“But-,”

“The rest of you, divide to teams and go play football!”

An orchestra of groans accompanied them all the way through the field and Eggsy was thinking of a quick run somewhere really far. Of course this guy was dragging him to Hart’s class now once Eggsy told him the classroom number; this day just couldn’t get any worse. He should have lied.

“Nobody told you of withdrawal symptoms?” Percival was telling him, and he sounded rather angry, like it was his responsibility. This was probably how Hart should act, Eggsy though.

 _Or something_.

“There’s no such thing,” he replied stubbornly.

“Your condition says otherwise,” another resolute answer. “You can’t take the bonding this lightly, it’s a serious matter. It takes time before your body gets used to it, it’s a chemical process. You should spend that time with your soulmate, it helps stabilize it faster. Although it’s better not to… overdo it. The physical drain is bigger, that’s why you tire so easily.”

“Why nobody told me that shite?” Eggsy grumbled, not even reacting to _overdo it_ little thing. If he didn’t mean shouting or acting like sworn enemies, there was nothing they could push to limits with that stiff arse.

“I’d think you’d do some research,” Percival gave him a weird look and his eyes stilled again at the location of his mark, like he was trying to find out _how_ he could get one at such place. Well, to be quite honest, Eggsy tried not to maul over it anymore. Maybe Hart was a kinky fucker, who knew? Definitely not Eggsy.

_Wonder if I’ll ever know…_

 Percival led him through the corridor for a little while longer until they arrived to the right classroom, and without giving Eggsy at least a second to mentally prepare, the teacher knocked at the door and peeked inside.

“Sorry, Harry, it’s about young Unwin,” he called at the sole person in from of the audience and Eggsy considered disappearing while he was busy. He hadn’t talked to Hart since yesterday and he was pretty sure the guy was going to eat him alive for that kiss.

Well “kiss”. It was just a test, really. It wasn’t even a proper kiss, there was no damn tongue. His mum was kissing him goodbye like that. There was nothing to be angry over. He just thought it could help (and it did, the moment they touched it was like surge of energy, so nobody could tell him the contact wasn’t important. Even when he just grabbed him by his wrist it was somewhat better), so he did it bit on a spontaneous streak.

He missed the rest of what Percival was saying, but then he stepped away to let Hart walk through and… well, shite. Of course he was looking at him like he just stepped into something disgusting, and for a good measure he also let out an exasperated sigh to remind him _how_ much he liked when they were in close vicinity.

“What did he do?” Hart asked resignedly, and Percival had that confused look on his face that looked kind of comical. Eggsy wondered when it was going to get to him, since this awkward situation couldn’t get any weirder.

“I have done nothin’,” Eggsy refused the claim and returned the excitement with his own annoyed look. “He just think Imma sick.”

“His soulmate…” Percival started, pointing at the classroom, and Harry slapped his hand away in annoyance.

“That’s me,” he just said, glancing back at Eggsy like he was making sure it still wasn’t just a nightmare. _Too bad, fucker_ , Eggsy wanted to say, but rather stayed put. “Go back to your class.”

“But-,” Eggsy started, suddenly angry about the blatant dismissal, but then Hart changed his focus and gave Percival a short look.

“I meant you, Percy. I’ll deal with this.”

“Oh,” the man voiced out lamely. “Alright. I’ll leave him with you then.”

He turned around, ready to go away, until he stopped himself in the last moment and glanced back at them.

“Congrats, I guess,” he offered, apparently not very convinced there was anything to celebrate, and when neither of them thanked him, he left them to it.

“I wish people would stop saying that,” Eggsy mumbled, more to himself than to Hart, but an agreeable hum came anyway.

“Let’s take it to the common room,” his soulmate offered and it sounded surprisingly normal. “There shouldn’t be anyone present at the moment.”

Eggsy wondered if it was a good thing or not.

***

“I was thinking how to deal with this without hurting any of us,” Hart started when they arrived to the right place and it was really empty. Eggsy closed the door behind him and grudgingly watched the older man walk all the way towards his table where he sat down. He seemed kind of tired too, so at least something affected both of them.

“Five points to Gryffindor,” Eggsy uttered, earning a hard look. “So what have you thought or? Locking me up in a cage and feeding me twice a week?”

“I was going to offer four times, but two will do,” Hart commented dryly and pointed at the chair in front of him. Eggsy shook his head in a firm _no_.

“Are you still sick?” the Professor dismissed it then.

“Just tired,” Eggsy mumbled. “No throwing up if you mean this. Sorry to disappoint.”

“It gives me no pleasure in seeing you sick, trust me,” Hart opposed calmly. “Or making you sick. Believe it or not, I understand the position we are in right now.”

“You have a funny way to show it,” Eggsy pointed out and there was an apparent inner countdown in Hart’s head, how he was trying to calm himself. It apparently didn’t work, since he reached to his jacket and pulled out a cigarette box.

“I’d be happier if you didn’t smoke,” Eggsy said when he watched him taking out one cigarette and brought it to his lips to light it up.

“I’d be happier if you haven’t antagonized me further,” came a swift reply and Eggsy crossed his arms on his chest.

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly an obedient puppy,” he reminded him and Harry puffed the first dose of smoke and sighed.

“There is nothing puppy-like about you,” he told him simply. “So yes. I’ve noticed. That’s why we need to establish some rules for this.”

“Rules,” Eggsy repeated with a snort. “I should start writing a blog. _The soulmate who got ruled out from the soulbond_. A fantastic header.”

“Sounds about right,” Hart chided in and leaned against the backrest of his chair.

“The first rule is simple – no avoiding.”

“Agreed,” Eggsy nodded and took several steps sideway, circling the man. “I have a second rule: no smoking in my presence.”

“Tough luck,” an immediate reply and Eggsy waved his hand. The smoke was the most annoying thing this guy could add – he despised it. His home was always full of smoke when Dean was there, and it sickened him just to remember those times. He really didn’t need to be reminded of it from his own soulmate. A bad one or not.

“Unfair,” he hissed, narrowing his eyes, and Hart seemed to be thinking about it.

“Fine, no smoking in front of you,” he grumbled after a moment and really put the cigarette away, even though he looked displeased about it. Eggsy counted it as a win.

“No pretending in front of other people like the stunt you pulled in the class,” Harry gave another one. “As much as you have fun with it, I don’t find it amusing.”

“You take all the fun out of it,” the blond sighed dramatically, but nodded anyway. He was sure to think of something else anyway. He thought for a moment, replaying all the events that happened during those two days in his head, and then decided.

“A kiss per day.”

“A what?” Hart almost choked, but Eggsy remained stubborn. He was pretty sure _no avoiding_ in Hart’s language meant _I won’t run away when I see you, but I won’t let us spend too much time together_ , so that would help them shite. The proper contact did – and if Percival was right with the chemical process, all the better.

“A kiss, you know, that’s what two people do when their mouths meet,” he told him sarcastically and Hart’s expression didn’t change. “Because it helped. Yesterday.”

“About yesterday-,”

“I don’t care if you don’t think so, but I want it,” he interrupted Hart’s lament and took a step closer. “So man the fuck up, I’m sure you can manage. I’m not asking you for a goddamn blowjob or anything-.”

“That’s enough,” the Professor raised his hand and groaned. “Why is there no reasonable conversation with you?”

“It’s my condition,” the blond uttered. “Not to mention we are supposed to spend time together – like lots of time – for the bond to settle down and stop doing shite in our bodies. We are not going to, obviously. So it’s this.”

“Settle down?” Hart raised an eyebrow and Eggsy huffed.

“I’d think you’d do some research,” he parroted at him, because hey, there was no winning with this guy if he didn’t play it smarter, and it apparently took Hart by surprise, since he shut up and looked a little puzzled.

A minute passed of him looking like he was deciding the fate of the world, biting his lower lip and then rubbing his eyes, but then he finally nodded.

“Alright,” he said with a sigh. “Fine.”

“Fine,” Eggsy repeated challengingly. “Any other concerns?”

“You’re not going to play hooky anymore,” a weird ass condition fell in between them.

“Are you my mother or what?” Eggsy snorted and Hart’s lips curled up in a smile. It wasn’t a happy expression, but it had some sort of amusement in it.

“You want a kiss per day,” he pointed out, making Eggsy frown. “I want you to be diligent in your studies. A suitable exchange, don’t you think?”

“Chantage, you mean,” he gritted his teeth, but Hart didn’t look like he wanted anything else, so _fine_ , that smartass.

“We can always repel the kiss rule.”

Oh right, he was playing it tough.

“We can always spend a week together somewhere instead, just two of us,” he purred at him, getting him right where he wanted him, since the smile disappeared. “Then I’d not impose the kiss.”

Not that they would survive it – he would give it a day, or maybe two, before they’d kill each other. Or at least seriously hurt.

“No hooky,” Hart bit out.

“A kiss per day.”

“Fine.”

“Fine then,” the blond shrugged and walked towards the man with a smirk. Hart didn’t really react, even when Eggsy put his hands on the armrests and leaned closer.

“Since the teacher insisted I’m sick, you should make me feel better,” he taunted him, spotting the lowering patience in Hart’s eyes like it was a gauge with degrees. “Yeah?”

At that point the bell rang and the doors opened with Professor Merlin standing there, talking with somebody behind him. Eggsy could pinpoint the moment he realized what he had been looking at and his eyebrows rose, and before Hart could do something about it, Eggsy stole the swift kiss like a thief and celebrated victory while leaving the common room with a smirk.

Hart’s absolutely stunned expression just won the whole day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> A good rule, innit? ψ(｀∇´)ψ


	5. Just Because

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What’s the point in that?” he commented on it. “There is always a reason for everything. Just because is a bad argument.”  
> Unwin stopped eating and looked up again, his eyes searching.  
> “Always the physics teacher hidden in there,” he uttered dryly. “Everything doesn’t need to have a cause, you know.”  
> “Since when you became so philosophical?” Harry tilted his head and watched his companion with a raised eyebrow. “Normally you’re more of a swearing and insulting type.”

“He really didn’t need to leave; we could have waited outside until you’re done.”

Harry huffed and shook his head. Of course Merlin would react to it with some lame remark, even though he knew very well what Harry thought about Unwin’s advances. Or non-advances, just painfully obvious tries to win against him in his own, brat’s way.

A kiss per day, seriously. Was he in a romantic novel or cliché soap opera?

“They’re soulmates, just so you know,” Merlin said with a chuckle and Harry raised his head again, wanting to ask him what was the point of telling him, until he realized Merlin wasn’t there alone – but with a young brown haired woman.

“Oh!” her attitude immediately changed, her eyes shining. “Congratulations!”

_I really wish people would stop saying that._

“Thank you,” he replied anyway and stood up to greet her. Merlin wouldn’t bring her if she didn’t belong here, so he expected her to be the new Literature teacher, even though she looked about the same age as Unwin. Bright eyed with a nice, pleasant smile, her long brown hair neatly tied up in a ponytail and in a maybe a bit old-timer brown costume he thought almost too boring for her age.

“Harry, this is Miss Roxanne Morton,” Merlin introduced her with a smile and she immediately offered her hand in a greeting, which he returned. “Miss Morton, this is Professor Harry Hart, Physics department.”

“The new Literature teacher I assume?” he managed a smile, pushing all those swirling thoughts to the back of his mind. During his teaching career he dealt with worse brats than Unwin, so there was no point trying to get worked up over him. That much.

Except of that soulmate thing.

And an actual kissing thing.

 _I don’t care if you don’t think so, but I want it_ , he said. Because why wouldn’t he, if he knew it would make Harry speechless. He should have thought of that rule before Unwin got hang of it, really.

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you,” she nodded happily and he wondered how long her enthusiasm was going to last.

Well, with Unwin’s class probably a week.

***

“Percy seemed to be quite taken back by the revelation.”

“I don’t really blame him,” Harry mumbled in an answer. Percival’s yesterday _shock_ from finding out was still alive in his head, as well as the aftermath in the common room. “And here I thought everyone knew.”

“Well, he got back two days ago, guess nobody told him,” Merlin chuckled in amusement, since he apparently had an interesting chat with the PE teacher. “Not to mention I’m pretty sure he got busy with James anyway. Giving him this information apparently wasn’t James’ priority.”

“No doubt,” Harry shrugged. It was no secret Percival and James were soulmates, but at least they weren’t so far apart with the age difference. Plus they had been in the soul bond for about five years now, if not more. They still acted like it was yesterday though – or James did, truth to be told, being always so excited when he saw Percy during the day at school. Percival was rather… reserved, normally, but with James around there was a significant change every time, no matter how hard he was trying to hide it.

“But it’s getting better, from the look of it?” Merlin offered, pushing his food tray away. The cafeteria was still reasonably busy and Harry found it slightly more calming than normally – when there was constant buzzing around him, it made him stop mauling over the same thing that didn’t have any solution.

“What is?” Harry glanced at him with a raised eyebrow and Merlin shrugged.

“You and the young Unwin,” he explained, and yes, of course he would nag him about it.

“Oh yes, amazing,” Harry got back to his food, nibbling on it without appetite.

“Maybe you should learn from them,” Merlin smirked and stood up, taking his tray to his hands to leave. “For real, Harry. Give it a shot. You’re one of the happy lot.”

Harry only waved him off, leaving any commentary to himself. With Percival and James it was something he at first thought it wouldn’t work. Well – at some point it would, he thought, after some time of getting used to it, but at first… no. With Percival acting like an ice queen and James being the perfect opposite – and a womanizer until then on top of that – it was almost inevitable for them to crash and burn.

But Merlin was right with one thing – they _were_ the happy lot, they found each other and they decided it was that way because the fate wanted them to find the other and give it a go. So Percival melted under that simple reasoning and found out that James was, in the end, his true and only soulmate that could make him happy.

From their never-ending energy they apparently still had, they were quite satisfied with the arrangement and it probably should have given him hope. Although he didn’t really know for what – he just couldn’t imagine his future with the boy no matter how he looked at it. Unwin was a walking ticking bomb, full of crazy ideas and infinite energy, and Harry very much doubted he would happily make a compromise when it would come to living together. Which, for soulmates, should probably happen at some point.

Unwin was spontaneous – Harry always thought twice before acting. He was demanding and never stepped back – Harry thought it was better to strike a less satisfying deal than losing the thing as a whole. He was a student… Harry was his teacher. From this simple equation it was already _wrong_.

“How come you always look so damn cheerful every time I see you sitting somewhere?”

Harry blinked and then Unwin dropped in front of him to Merlin’s seat, putting his food in front of him and giving out a long sigh. He seemed tired and maybe paler than normally and Harry’s first thought had been that the soul bond was acting up. Or not acting as it should.

He didn’t say anything, just frowned slightly in confusion about the boy’s presence, and Unwin shrugged.

“No avoiding,” he pointed out. “Your rule.”

“Of course,” Harry mumbled and grabbed his fork again. The food lost its appeal a long time ago, but somehow he got a bit hungrier again. Maybe it was thanks to the proximity? If anything Unwin said was true.

“I was thinking,” the blond spoke up while he picked at his meal. “Can I call you Harry?”

Harry froze for a second, the immediate _no_ flashing through his mind, but he forced it down. He couldn’t keep him away forever, it wasn’t fair. Those small things – familiarity and closeness – should have come natural. Too bad Harry’s walls had been built so high up already, it was fairly difficult to get past them without a significant effort.

“Not in class,” he decided to step out of his comfort zone, at least a little. He couldn’t imagine hearing his first name from the boy’s lips like it was completely normal, just greeting him with that cheeky smile of his while chanting the word over and over.

_A weird picture._

“Aw,” the blond chuckled, but then gave a nod. “Fine. Would be weird, I guess.”

“Slightly,” Harry sipped his drink thoughtfully. If he used it during class, he was fairly sure the rest of the students would pick up on it with gusto. He still needed some authority if nothing else – and that was getting more and more difficult with each passing day when he got labelled as the one who dated a student. Even without any actual dating. “I could be blamed for favouritism, nobody wants that.”

“Nobody can make mighty Harry Hart to like somebody just because,” the boy snorted, and there was a jab hidden in it. A truthful one, Harry had to admit, but he didn’t need to like that. He watched the boy eating quietly for a moment, wondering if there was a reason to react to it, and there probably wasn’t.

Until he couldn’t really help it. He thought he knew him? A kid like him, from few classes they had together? What a joke.

“What’s the point in that?” he commented on it. “There is always a reason for everything. _Just because_ is a bad argument.”

Unwin stopped eating and looked up again, his eyes searching.

“Always the physics teacher hidden in there,” he uttered dryly. “Everything doesn’t need to have a cause, you know.”

“Since when you became so philosophical?” Harry tilted his head and watched his companion with a raised eyebrow. “Normally you’re more of a swearing and insulting type.”

The blond snorted and stirred his soup absentmindedly, like he needed to keep his hands busy.

“Well, it doesn’t really work on you,” he mumbled. “And since I want to spend some time with you without needing to argue all the time, I had to change the tactics.”

“Spend time with me?” Harry sighed. That was new. “Since when?”

“Since it makes me feel better,” the blond shrugged. “And it makes you feel better too, right?”

Probably. He was hungry again and his head hurt a bit less. He wondered when the soul bond was going to stop acting up like that, until they weren’t going to need to stick together to feel healthier.

What a damn lame reason anyway. Soulmates of the worst kind.

“Well, here is your cause,” Harry chuckled bitterly and got back to his food. Spending time together _just because_? Apparently nope. “This is not _just because_. I was right.”

“Let’s be honest here, _Harry_ ,” Unwin pointed at him with his spoon. “I’d hang out with you on daily basis if you didn’t look so fucking disgusted every time I get close. So yeah, this is not _just because_ , but because I feel sick when I’m too far for too long and it sucks. As your whole fucking attitude.”

Harry would lie if he said he brushed it off like always. Something in him wanted to react on it, somehow, but no words could actually grasp the right meaning. He took a deep breath, then another, but his mouth just wouldn’t move.

“And quite frankly,” the blond looked at him coldly. “I’m getting tired of chasing you down and getting this _piss off_ expression every time.”

He short-circuited Harry’s brain so thoroughly Unwin managed to eat the rest of his lunch in complete silence without Harry being able to say a damn thing, then rise up and walk away, leaving the man dumbfounded at the table.

***

“I was hoping to catch you here.”

Harry looked up only grudgingly. There were still two classes ahead of him and he could barely concentrate on the reviewing the subject, seeing how the time was running short. He seriously didn’t have time for Tilde’s chatting or wasn’t in any shape to give her useless advices.

“Miss Tilde,” he said quietly and she suddenly seemed rather uncomfortable. “Is something the matter?”

“I’ve just wanted to apologize,” she started, fidgeting like a school girl. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you for several days, but couldn’t really find the courage.”

“I see,” he said simply. He had a bad feeling it was about Unwin.

“I didn’t know you and Eggsy-,” she stopped, clearing her throat. “You and Mr. Unwin are soulmates. If I had known, I’d never… I’d…”

“Never sleep with him?” he offered and his bitter tone surprised him probably more than her. She looked panicked for a moment, like she wasn’t prepared for him to react this way – and to be quite frank he didn’t know either. He never really knew, it was just a hunch, but it made sense. Tilde had always a weakness for the boy – as for Unwin he didn’t know.

Maybe he had been in love with her?

Maybe he still was?

“I just thought… these past few days, I wasn’t really sure, but…” she tried again, her words not making much of a sense. “He always looked so tired and I don’t want him to hurt, so _please_.”

“Please what?” he watched her coldly, a weird surge of antipathy rising in him. He never had a problem with her; she was usually just _somebody_ he worked with, idealistic and maybe a bit too soft with the students.

“Please take care of him?” her voice dropped so low he barely heard her. “I was trying to comfort him, but it didn’t really help and-,”

“Comfort him?” he repeated sharply and his mark flared like it was branded with fire, making him hiss.

“Not like that!” she quickly assured him, but the burning remained. “And not like he wanted to, I swear it never- I just… I’m so sorry!”

He wanted to say something, but everything that came to his mind sounded hateful and not like him at all. All those words – where did they come from?

He clenched his marked hand to ease the pressure building in it and abruptly stood up.

“Sorry,” he gritted through his teeth. “The class is going to start soon.”

Before she could say anything else, he stormed out of the common room and left her to it.

Comfort him! Was that woman stupid? A newly bonded person with somebody else, what good did she thought she could do for him? Harry clearly recalled the boy saying he had been throwing up and feeling bad – and now it made sense. Harry wasn’t chipper either, but he never had such problems to deal with it as Unwin had, that stupid kid.

He was halfway from the classroom when the bell rang, so he picked up speed and arrived just in time to see the blond boy leaving the room with a sullen expression on his face. It took him a moment before he took notice of Harry standing there, but when he did, shock was the first emotion Harry caught in the flurry of them. In the last moment it morphed into a careful mask though, like a learned gesture,

“You look like you’d killed somebody,” he shuffled towards Harry with suspicion, letting other students pass around them with hushed whispers. “What?”

“You’re going to spend time with me,” words flew out of Harry like he had been rehearsing them forever in his mind. “From today.”

“What?”

“After school you’re going to my place.”

“What?!”

“And there is no discussion available.”

Unwin stared at him like Harry lost his damn mind, and well, maybe he did, but the simple fact there was a high probability this stupid kid was making himself sicker by searching for something deeper with Tilde because Harry had his head in his ass, that was absolutely _unacceptable_.

“For real?” the blond just asked, his eyes wide, and Harry crossed his arms on his chest in impatience. His class was starting soon and yet he just couldn’t leave until he was _sure_ his demand was settled.

“Yes,” he just bit out. “I have two more classes to go. Wait for me in the common room; just tell them I’ve allowed it.”

“I-,”

“And avoid Tilde, if you’d be so kind,” Harry added a bit too strongly and Unwin blinked in surprise. “And call home. Or somebody. Let them know.”

With that he turned around and wanted to leave, if there wasn’t a voice stopping him from retreating like there was fire behind his heels. He glanced back at the boy, raising an eyebrow.

“Two hours is pretty long,” Unwin pointed out, hands in pockets, and Harry forced down the urge to roll his eyes. “And I’m pretty sure _Tilde_ is going to be there for the whole time.”

_Oh. Right._

“I can stay in your class,” the solution came quickly. “Will be quiet as a mouse.”

“You?” Harry snorted and Unwin made several steps forward, until they were within reach.

“Me.”

There was no use fighting him. No damn use whatsoever.

_I should get used to it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well. Now you've done, it, Mr. Hart :D


	6. Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey,” the blond frowned, leaving the glass abandoned to focus fully at his soulmate who was now standing almost across the whole kitchen. “I’ve done nothing with her after we bonded, okay?”  
> “Of course,” a mocking answer. “That’s why she came pleading me to forgive her.”  
> “Fine, we may have kissed.”  
> Yep, an evident anger now.

“Among the great conceptual achievements of the 19th and 20th centuries was the consolidation of the idea of energy by the inclusion of heat, electricity and magnetism, and then light. The laws of thermodynamics, and most importantly the introduction of the singular concept of entropy began to provide a macroscopic explanation for the properties of matter.”

Eggsy never really noticed _Harry_ ’s voice was always so lively during the lecturing. He usually ended up focusing on a different matter when he was in his own class, but now, sitting in a completely secluded area without any need to actually make notes or pretend to listen, it was different. People were watching him with curiosity at first, when he just sat obediently where Harry pointed at, but once the lesson started they lost interest pretty fast, focusing on their Professor instead.

Harry even gesticulated a lot while propping against the edge of his table with his damn long legs crossed, his hands drawing abstract shapes in the air. Eggsy never really knew – or maybe his own class was different – that students were actually pretty interested in Harry’s presentation, now when he saw them hanging on his every word. Physics wasn’t even _that_ interesting, but there was something in the man’s voice that kept them attentive – and Eggsy too, somehow, watched him with curiosity.

“Statistical mechanics followed by statistical physics emerged as an offshoot of thermodynamics late in the 19th century. Another important event in the 19th century was the discovery of electromagnetic theory, unifying the previously separate phenomena of electricity, magnetism and light,” Harry continued easily, his hands slowly falling down to grip the edge of the table and Eggsy quietly hummed.

_Tilde, huh._

What did she do, he wondered, that it made Harry act this… well, out of character? Not that Eggsy was against it – it was weird, okay, just out of blue telling him that he was going to spend time in his place while until today he had been trying very hard to forget Eggsy even existed. But it was also a good start – and Eggsy really needed a good night sleep at least once per this week.

Not that he knew he was going to get it with Harry being close, alright. It might have been too weird for him to actually get relaxed – not to mention there could be a catch. Maybe Harry was going to lock him up in a basement and keep him there so he would not feel sick, but also didn’t need to deal with it more than he needed to. Maybe he just wanted to shut him up for a while, get over the term of settling of the bond and then return to his previous ignorance mode.

Maybe it was because he decided it was better to keep Eggsy close for a while to annul the kissing rule.

 _As if_.

The kissing rule was cheeky, yes, and also a bit out of blue as well, but so far there was _nothing else_ that worked as good as that simple gesture did. Skin to skin touch was fine, kind of, like it could calm the burning a bit, but a kiss had a deeper connection and better results.

Not to mention it wasn’t anything atrocious, geez, just a peck once per day. If he ought to stick his tongue down Harry’s throat, well, yeah, that would be weird.

That guy was a bigger baby than Eggsy had been, no matter how often he called him _a kid_ , or _a brat_. He alone was childish, stubborn and cowardly and Eggsy was ready to throw it at him at the first argument they were inevitably going to have.

Probably even by tonight, at this guy’s place, fighting over something super stupid.

Like the bed.

Was Eggsy going to sleep in one bed with him? Because that would make sense, wouldn’t it. Except it was probably a little too personal and Eggsy was a kicker – or a hugger – or he even talked in his sleep, it depended on the day before. Once he even kicked his girlfriend out of the bed – probably a reflexive thing to defend himself – and, well, they broke up over it. Not a big deal though, they were dating for short and Eggsy hadn’t even been into it very much.

Well, now when he thought about it, he probably was never into anyone that much, no matter who it had been. Like there was something missing – now when he had the bond it was very obvious what it had been – so he took it rather selfishly and never dived too deep. When the relationship ended – or he ended it – he never felt as bad as he probably should have.

Maybe that was why it felt so wrong when Harry rejected him at first. Like he was the only person who shouldn’t have, who was rightfully his, and yet never showed an inclination of wanting that.

Eggsy wondered _why_ he wanted it in the first place when Harry was… well. Harry. The only tendency he always had was to try to make him lose his patience, to challenge him somehow, to reach out and –

_Oh._

The bell almost made him fall off the chair how he buried himself too deep into his own thoughts, and people were starting to get up and leave the room with a constant buzzing. Eggsy managed to stood up as well, his legs probably fell asleep during the lesson, and descended from the stairs to Harry who was apparently going through the attendance.

“Congratulation on staying quiet,” the man said without looking up and Eggsy snorted while he stopped at the table, right next to the bent form of his soulmate. He had pretty a neat handwriting for a guy – Eggsy’s usually reminded of somebody trying a new pen in an indiscernible scribble.

“Told you I would.”

“I appreciate it,” the older man glanced at him and there was a small smile on his lips – something Eggsy rarely saw, especially aimed at him. “One more class to go though.”

Eggsy hummed, watching him to finish the writing and then straight up, immediately towering over the blond with his height superiority.

“I’m kinda tired,” the blond mumbled. “To sit here one more hour just like that.”

“ _Just like that_ , what’s that supposed to mean?” Harry raised an eyebrow and Eggsy tilted his head to the side, waiting for his brain to catch up. It was apparently a slow process, because the older man was staring at him rather dubiously for a moment, then blinked and then it apparently dawned on him, since he took a sharp breath and rolled his eyes.

“What a fucking ordeal, eh,” Eggsy nagged him because he could and Harry grumbled.

“Language,” he said and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just deal with it for one more hour, be a dear.”

“ _Be a dear_ ,” Eggsy parroted with an eye roll. “Really?”

 “We are in a classroom, if you haven’t noticed,” the older man commented dryly, glancing at the slowly arriving students that were giving them curious looks. “I’m sure sitting for the next hour won’t _tire_ you too much.”

There was a fleeting touch on Eggsy’s forearm like Harry was trying to make him going, or maybe just assure him, but none of it worked anyway – it only made the mark flare more.

“You’re the one who’s the child in all this,” the blond uttered and crossed his arms on his chest. “It’s not like I’m Frenching you, what’s your problem?”

“The class is going to start soon-,”

“It doesn’t do anything for you?” he asked a little quieter and Harry’s expression morphed into a confused one. “Cuz it really does for me.”

A blink and a bit dumbstruck expression followed, and when Eggsy repeated the phrase in his head, it did sound a bit… _yeah_. He snorted and gestured towards his neck, just for a good measure.

“For the burning I mean, you dirty minded you,” he grinned at him, immediately spotting how the shame washed over Harry’s features for actually thinking that.

“I don’t feel much of a change,” Harry mumbled after, shuffling slightly and apparently checked the crowd that slowly multiplied behind them. “The burning is mostly so faint I barely pay attention to it.”

“Lucky you,” the blond sighed, rubbing the mark absentmindedly. “Mine hurts like a bitch.”

“Might be because you decided to antagonize it with somebody unbounded to you,” Harry delivered bitterly, and if Eggsy didn’t know this guy didn’t like him a bit, he would say it sounded like jealousy. “I thought you’d be smarter than that.”

“I thought my soulmate would be nicer than that,” Eggsy shot back immediately and Harry huffed.

“We will have this discussion later,” he gestured against him. “Not here, not now.”

“Yeah, right,” the blond rolled his eyes, his words almost swallowed by the bell ringing. “Probably during the bubble bath and romantic evening, _you arse_.”

“Go sit in the back.”

“How about I sit right here, in the front?” Eggsy challenged him instead and Harry’s eyes narrowed threateningly. “What, afraid you wouldn’t be able to keep your calm?”

“In the back,” Harry pointed at the back row Eggsy had been sitting at the whole previous lesson and that was already surrounded by students who apparently found the exchange very amusing.

“Nah,” the blond just shrugged, circled the Professor leisurely and sat at his desk. “As much as you like giving orders, _dear_ , I don’t need to take them, since my lessons are over.”

“ _Eggsy_ ,” Harry used his nickname like a deadly weapon, gritting through his teeth. “We had a deal about the classroom behaviour.”

“We also had a deal about kissing.”

Several chuckles and _oooohs_ sounded behind them and Eggsy could perfectly pinpoint the moment when Harry realized they weren’t only observed, but also _heard_ , and definitely blamed Eggsy for it, since his next glare was like a death penalty.

“We are going to talk about this,” Harry just told him so quietly nobody else could hear it but him, and then turned around and started his lesson.

His back was tense the whole time.

***

It wasn’t much of a surprise the drive to Harry’s house had been quiet. Well, maybe more like suffocating. He didn’t say a single word to Eggsy, his face absolutely blank, but there was anger in his eyes and Eggsy wondered if it made him a masochist to be a little pleased about it.

The thing was – Harry Hart was always like… a machine, probably. A cold, calculative, dry robot that never showed emotions, no matter how anyone tried to antagonize him. And hell, Eggsy really tried, but it was like he just _couldn’t_ get under his skin. The fact he actually started to react now was great – although with consequences that probably going to end badly. Or maybe just a bit worse than Eggsy anticipated.

Which could be even more worse, since he anticipated a failure right from the start.

So yeah, the silent drive, the silent stop, the even more silent getting out of the car and into the big house – a nice house, really, Hart wasn’t living cheap that bastard – and equally silent treatment once they were in the building and Harry acted like Eggsy had been an air only.

Alright, it was a bit overboard and he antagonized him more out of habit than because he really wanted to, but in that moment it felt like a suitable exchange since Harry decided to be stingy again.

As if it was secret they were soulmates. If they kissed, people would maybe do some more _oohs_ , but it wouldn’t be a faux pas. At least not that big. So instead of that they witnessed Harry’s really stiff shoulders and Eggsy’s utter disrespect of the teacher’s desk and then they were leaving and Harry was going so damn fast Eggsy almost had to jog to keep up with him.

He expected an earful in the car. Then in the house. But since they were already here and Harry was still quiet, but his movement sharp and everything he opened got closed again with a bit too much force, it seemed like he was one of those people who let it boil inside and then explode once it accumulated enough.

Eggsy _could_ apologize, sure. But that would make Harry the winner, and he didn’t really deserve it. At least not entirely.

“Can I get something to drink?” he asked once he watched Harry banging with the dishes and mugs and cupboards enough for a lifetime.

“Suit yourself.”

 _Right_.

The banging continued. Eggsy thought the kitchen was a dangerous zone, so he didn’t enter, just stood between the door, in a safe distance. The longer he stood there, the less patience the man seemed to have, until he finally stopped, gave Eggsy a hard stare and walked towards the fridge, took out a juice box and put it on the kitchen desk, along with a glass. Eggsy could swear he heard the glass crack a bit under the force of an impact.

“Thanks,” he piped, earned another glare, and shuffled towards it so he could pour himself a little. “So, about Tilde…”

A deep exhale. _Uh oh._

“It is very simple,” Harry’s voice sounded eerily calm, despite his clenched fists and all. “You do that again, you are going to feel sick. If you feel like throwing up is fun, don’t let me stop you. I don’t feel a damn thing anyway.”

“Hey,” the blond frowned, leaving the glass abandoned to focus fully at his soulmate who was now standing almost across the whole kitchen. “I’ve done _nothing_ with her after we bonded, okay?”

“Of course,” a mocking answer. “That’s why she came pleading me to forgive her.”

“Fine, we may have kissed.”

Yep, an evident anger now.

“Look, you’ve basically told me to screw myself,” Eggsy changed into an offence mode, because that usually worked more than being all sorry. “Tilde was always nice; I just needed to calm down-,”

“I always thought you’re smart,” Harry interrupted him coldly. “Lazy, but smart. Guess you were just lucky after all.”

“It’s not like we fucked, for fuck’s sake-,”

“It’s not like it matters,” the older man cut him off unmercifully and his whole posture radiated distaste. “I’ve brought you here so it wouldn’t repeat and you wouldn’t make yourself suffer like a stubborn idiot. Now I’m regretting this choice, because you _are_ a stubborn idiot.”

“But you’re a fucking saint,” Eggsy snorted, but Harry didn’t budge.

“We’ve agreed on some rules, _Eggsy_ ,” his nickname again, used like it was an insult. “Can you explain why you decided to break them like an insolent brat that just _has_ to be the centre of attention? Does it really matter that goddamn much?”

“You broke the rule first,” Eggsy pointed out, but it wasn’t so easy anymore. When there was no real feedback, doing things like those was simple, the small consequences never mattered. But this was like hitting a brick wall – no way out, no way back, no way forward. Dealing with it sucked.

“We _were_ in a classroom. That was my rule,” Harry pointed out, obviously. “And as far as you’re unable to understand, snogging you there would only break it.”

“ _Snogging_ ,” the blond rolled his eyes. “It’s not even a proper kiss-.”

“I’ve asked you to be good. You _promised_ to be quiet,” Harry’s habit to interrupt every Eggsy’s try to talk was getting annoying. “It wasn’t like I told you _no_. I just told you _later_. One damn hour, you were just trying to gain an upper hand-!”

“The fuck I was!” Eggsy bit out and took several steps forward. “You’re always so fucking unattached; I just want you to react a little!”

“And I want this to work out!” Harry raised voice back at him and it shook him to his inner core. “But you’re making it so damn hard!”

“No, you don’t,” Eggsy’s voice lost all its strength and his body as well. Such a blatant lie – wanting it to work out? Since when? An utter bullshit.

“What?”

“You don’t want it to work out,” the blond elaborated, looking away. “You’re struggling with the sole concept from the beginning and it’s pretty obvious you’re just trying to find the least painful way, because you feel guilty to just shut me out.”

“Yes,” Harry said with less anger in his voice, like he calmed down as well to the point of being utterly passive. “That’s true.”

Eggsy could feel the mark burning again, but it was different – not making him sick or anything, it just burned like it was trying to make itself known more.

“I _am_ struggling with the concept,” Harry continued with a deep sigh. “Look, it’s probably not so bad for you, but for me… I’m used to be alone. _This_ whole thing is like I suddenly got a baby and don’t know how to change diapers or feed it or give it love.”

“It is bad for me too. It wouldn’t be if you didn’t make it so difficult,” Eggsy opposed weakly and there was a bitter laughter coming from the man.

“I don’t know how to make it easier.”

It was a bitter truth, Eggsy could tell, but that was why people learned, right? And if they wanted to learn, they needed to talk.

“Let it flow?” Eggsy offered. “Like just… accept it. So you got a baby at your doorstep, alright? And there is no one you could give it to.”

Not that being compared to a little kid was alright, but it suited the explanation anyway.

“The hospital,” Harry pointed out and Eggsy shook his head.

“No, stop trying to dodge the responsibility. You _don’t_ have any other options,” he reminded him and Harry sighed, probably not very keen on being lectured. But hey, somebody had to be the mature one in this, when not the guy who could have been his father.

_A sick thought._

“So would you put it in the corner and let it die there?”

“Of course not,” Harry rolled his eyes.

“You’d try to feed it, to stop it from crying, to get the crap away and keep it clean, yeah?” Eggsy made few more steps forward and Harry nodded like an obedient student. Who knew if he ever dealt with toddlers? He should have brought Daisy here for a bit, to see how good this guy was with kids. It usually said a lot about character and Daisy was an angel. Until she started crying. But then again, work under pressure was always a good experience.

“Nobody needs to tell ya that,” Eggsy concluded. “So just… stop overthinking this shite. I don’t know what your exact problem is than _don’t know how to_ , but just don’t force yourself to do anything and just accept it. This shite should come naturally.”

He watched the man take a deep breath and then another. He seemed like he contemplated it a bit, doing pros and cons, and then pinched the bridge of his nose.

“It would be easier if you weren’t such a little shit though,” he said after a moment and Eggsy barked out a laugh.

“I guess,” he agreed, because hey, he never said he was an easy person to get along with. “But imagine I just knocked on your door and you have no other option but to let me in. So?”

“I need a smoke.”

For the first time, Eggsy had a hope they were onto something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well, issues, lots of issues that need to be solved! Ughhhhh.   
> Anyway, being used to living alone - dealing with stuff alone - and suddenly having somebody or something that barges into this fragile balance... god, that's tough, peeps. That's very, very tough to deal with.


	7. Smoking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are you done?” Harry tilted his head to the side, eying him warily, and the blond took a deep breath and nodded.   
> “Yeah, just a little excited you’re an actual human being and not a robot.”  
> “A robot?” Harry quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously, you’re talking nonsense. Are you still asleep?”  
> “I might be,” there was a sudden revelation on Eggsy’s face and Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. All that hopping on his lap really didn’t help and he was far from done as it seemed.   
> “Maybe I’m dreaming and you actually never really laughed!”

Since the moment they decided to stop talking and Harry left the house to smoke to calm himself a bit, something changed.

A baby on his doorstep, what a comical parable.  There was something eerily accurate in it, at least with Eggsy’s explanation, and Harry wondered what exactly made him more scared of it all - or probably not even scared, just… unsure - if the fact he _had to_ take care of it from now on, or that he had no idea how to.

How he stood in the gradually dimming sunshine and the smoke was slowly filling his lungs, all those events washed over him like a tsunami, closing in and finally making at least a little sense. _Yes,_ he was alone for so long the initial reaction of having somebody destined to be with him until he died was uncomfortable at the best. But the fate wasn’t making mistakes, its choices were true and rightful, and even though it didn’t feel like the case with them, there had to be something worth in it.

Not to mention Eggsy was surprisingly mature for his age when he decided not to stress Harry with his pretentious bullshit. And when he forgot about the situation with Tilde – which still stung for some reason.

 _May have kissed_ , seriously.

He sighed and dropped the cigarette on the ground, stepping on it with a slight frown. Well, if it bothered him so much, he had to do something about it, hadn’t he. Although if it was Eggsy’s conscious decision, he was powerless to stop him anyway, except, maybe to give him an earful for it.

And for many other things. He didn’t want to hear tomorrow gossip in the school about the _lover’s quarrel_ or something similar to it, since Eggsy decided to call him out in front of the whole class.

Seriously, why did they even make those rules when neither of them followed them?

“You stink.”

Harry blinked, watching the blond with his arms crossed in the hallway when he entered the house. He looked like a judge, his features rather sharp by the play of the light and shadow.

“Like smoke.”

“That’s what cigarettes do,” he reminded him calmly and closed the door behind him with a soft click.

“Then stop smoking,” a revolutionary idea that made Harry bark out a laugh while he took off his shoes.

“What now, is that one of the _new_ rules we don’t follow?” he couldn’t stop himself from nagging him about it, no matter how he tried not to. “I haven’t smoked in front of you; I thought that was the deal.”

“Yeah,” Eggsy shrugged, but wrinkled his nose anyway. ”But you still stink.”

“I’ll tell you when I want you to act like my mother,” Harry smirked and passed the boy. He stopped paying attention to the smell of the cigarettes – and nobody made a big deal out of it before either. If he smoked two or three cigarettes per day it was a lot, so there wasn’t much to complain about. “What’s with you and the cigarettes anyway? Here I thought kids these days always smoked to be more in.”

“Yeah, maybe like twenty years ago,” Eggsy snorted, and his voice was still close, so he followed him to the living room, it seemed. When Harry sat on the couch, the blond hopped next to him like it was completely normal – and hey, soulmates! It was. Probably.

_Better get used to it._

Harry turned on the TV with a sideway glance, and when Eggsy only made himself comfortable – judging from how he crossed his legs on the couch and buried deep into the cushions – he was sure this was their final destination.

“I hate it,” he heard the boy mumble suddenly and it took him a moment before he understood what he had been referring to, but then it occurred to him the topic of smoking hadn’t changed.

“Smoking?” he asked just to be sure and Eggsy hummed.

“Our flat always smelled like smoke when Dean was there,” Eggsy’s voice was lower now, like he was telling him something darker and unwanted. “Dean was my mum’s boyfriend.”

“I see,” Harry piped. “A heavy smoker I take it?”

“Average, let’s say,” Eggsy said quietly. “But it reeked there with it all the time, even when the baby was there.”

“A baby?”

“My sis,” the blond elaborated and Harry realized he knew nothing of him. All this time he thought there was a connection between him and Chester King, although they didn’t bear the same surname. Having a sister or living with his mother and her boyfriend – that wasn’t something he got familiar with.

“The point is, he was a fucking bastard,” his tone suddenly changed into an angry one. “All this shite he had been doing… I just can’t stand the smell. It reminds me of him and it _sucks_.”

 _I see_ , Harry wanted to say, but it felt like a lame compensation of hearing something so personal.

“He’s… not living there anymore?” he asked instead with a morbid curiosity, even though the topic wasn’t a pleasant one. But once Eggsy started to talk, the sudden need to know more was stronger than him.

“Nah,” the blond grumbled. “In jail now. Fucker. He deserved it.”

“In jail,” Harry repeated, dumbstruck. “Did he…?”

“Told ya, he was a bastard. Keeping my mum in check, beating her up,” the answer almost took all the breath from Harry’s lungs. “Took care of him. But it took time, we should have acted sooner, not let him control us like freaking dogs.”

There was a hesitant touch on Eggsy’s neck, how the boy reached for it for a second, as if in memory. Harry didn’t like the gesture. And the more when he knew _he_ left the mark there as well.

“How about now? With your mother and your sister?” he rather asked to shake off the guilt. It wasn’t like he did it on purpose – he held him there because he needed to calm him down, and he was pissed off so he didn’t even think _where_ he was touching. Not to mention expecting to leave a soul mark.

“They’re fine,” Eggsy’s voice softened again. “Living just three of us, but fine.”

“I see.”

“What, feel sorry for me already?” Eggsy was now looking at him with a smirk and it made Harry roll his eyes. If this was a lie as well, he was going to bite him for sure.

“I haven’t said I’m sorry,” he told him for the good measure, frowning a little, and Eggsy let out a dramatic sigh.

“Yeah, insensitive prick.”

“What-!”

“I’m just kidding, geez, stop taking everything so seriously,” the blond barked out a laugh and nudged him with his shoulder. It felt strange, such innocent contact – he wasn’t used to have him this close and acting all domestic, sitting there with striped socks and still in a school uniform.

It must have been the uniform that made it so weird.

“What about the headmaster?” he asked as if in the afterthought. There had to be at least something – no way King would pardon everything the boy had done if there wasn’t any connection.

“What about him?” Eggsy raised an eyebrow and for a moment Harry wasn’t sure _how_ to even ask him about it. Everything sounded terribly nosy or overly caring, and there wasn’t really place for any of those nonsenses.

“Aren’t you related as well?” he chose the least offending possibility and Eggsy shook his head.

“Not by blood at least,” he elaborated when Harry hummed. “But he’s sorta like my uncle or somethin’. Knew my dad and mum. When mum lost it, he was the only person I had.”

_Lost it?_

He wanted to ask, somehow, but when Eggsy shouted “ _Top Gear!”_ at the TV, Harry rather remained quiet and tried not to laugh.

***

It was something about a bankruptcy when Harry stirred back into the land of living and realized the TV had been the only light illuminating his living room, while he rested sprawled on the couch. The news was dealing with something political and he wondered what he had been watching before he fell asleep here like a sack of potatoes.

He rubbed his eyes and sat straight to stretch a bit, until he more felt than heard a soft _thump_ that sounded behind him. At that point he finally noticed he wasn’t in the room alone, but Eggsy was now getting back up with sleepy expression and apparently zero sense of what just happened, before he ended up behind Harry’s back.

_He must have been sleeping on my shoulder or something…_

He wasn’t entirely sure how exactly he managed to doze off after the rollercoaster Eggsy started once he got excited over fast cars, but somehow both of them apparently gave up and just fell asleep.

“What time is it?” he heard Eggsy asking in a quiet voice when he was scrambling back to a sitting position, not phased even a little by the location of his sleep, or his companion. Harry glanced at the clock, still a little dizzy from the nap, and before he could look back and tell him, Eggsy was suddenly straddling his thighs with a lazy smile on his lips. Harry’s hands immediately shot up to stabilize him and it seemed like Eggsy just made himself overly comfortable sitting there.

“What now?” Harry sighed, the heavy weight of the boy on top of him pinning him down.

“I haven’t got the kiss,” Eggsy told him and he looked so pleased with himself he reminded him of a cat that just got the cream. “And I’m really, really tired.”

“You just slept.”

“Stop arguing,” the blond pointed at him with a serious expression. “C’mon.”

“We really have to talk about your bossy attitude,” Harry gave him an evil eye but realized his hands were still gripping the boy’s sides and he quickly let go.

“Hey, this gotta be functional somehow,” Eggsy wriggled as if in revenge and Harry hissed at him and gripped him once more to still him. This really wasn’t the best time _or_ the position. “What are you so scared of?”

“Scared?” Harry repeated the word incredulously and tried to ignore how Eggsy’s fingers started to tug at his hair. “I’m not _scared_. I just don’t think this is the right time to-,”

“Snog?”

“Your bluntness astounds me.”

“There is always time for snogging,” Eggsy ignored his notion with a grin and his hands fell on Harry’s shoulders, resting there obediently. “And quite frankly we haven’t even snogged yet. No tongue or anything. I was afraid it may cause you a heart-attack, so I waited.”

“How considerate of you,” Harry couldn’t stop the eye roll, because really, he just _had to_ say that.

“But since we got some of the facts right today, I think you’re about to be ready,” another grin and Harry couldn’t help but laugh. There he was several hours ago wanting to strangle this boy at the best and suddenly they were talking about snogging? And here he thought life-changing events took time.

“Oh man, you _can_ laugh,” Eggsy commented with wide eyes. “I thought you never do cuz your face might crack.”

”Very funny.”

“No, but really, you never did!” the grip on his shoulders disappeared how Eggsy started to gesticulate. “You were scowling and growling and well, fine, I saw you smile once, but that could have been just my imagination, because I have a lot of it.”

“Are you done?” Harry tilted his head to the side, eying him warily, and the blond took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yeah, just a little excited you’re an actual human being and not a robot.”

“A robot?” Harry quirked an eyebrow. “Seriously, you’re talking nonsense. Are you still asleep?”

“I might be,” there was a sudden revelation on Eggsy’s face and Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it. All that hopping on his lap really didn’t help and he was far from done as it seemed.

“Maybe I’m dreaming and you actually never really laughed!”

“Well, that would be sad, wouldn’t it,” Harry teased him with a smirk because it came easily, and he probably shouldn’t have, since Eggsy’s lips curved into another smile, but this time much more sly than before.

“Very, very sad,” he purred like a cat and his hand returned back on Harry’s shoulders. “So. Are you going to freak out if I kiss you?”

“I don’t _freak out_ , thank you very much,” Harry uttered dryly. What did he think Harry was? A teenager that had never been kissed? A pure virgin? He seriously didn’t even know what he was playing there with – and if Harry would decide to play along, the tables would turn so fast he wouldn’t be able to stop it.

“I mean a real kiss,” Eggsy ignored his jab easily. “Not a _bye mum_ peck. A kiss. With tongue.”

“Are you going to throw diagrams on me too?” Harry shook his head. “Or maybe you should draw it.”

“Sassy,” Eggsy snorted and his thumbs touched the skin on Harry’s neck. It was far too warmer than he expected it to be, like it was a burning another mark there. “Imma just telling you, cuz then you could rage I was too cheeky again and throw me out.”

“It was me who brought you here,” Harry opposed calmly. He wondered where all this inner equilibrium came from – Eggsy was basically telling him he was going to snog him like a prostitute – it would make him unreasonably angry just a day ago.

“Touché,” the blond shrugged. “Cuz you were jelly.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Jealous,” another grin. “Of Tilde.”

Her name made his eyes narrow and Eggsy only laughed harder at him, as if it was proving his point.

Jealous? He was just _mad_. Because here he thought it was his fault of making the blond sick and everything, and in the end it was just him alone who decided to stick his tongue down her throat and then suffer. If this ought to happen again, he would definitely-

“Oh god, I can hear your wheels turning how you’re trying to justify it in your head,” Eggsy groaned and re-seated a little closer, that little bugger. “You do, don’t you? Trying to explain it somehow, like that you were just angry or somethin’ that I made myself sick?”

Harry had to stop himself from gaping at the boy, his mind short-circuiting.

“How did you-,”

“Know what you were thinking?” a smug smile appeared on the boy’s lips. “Oh _dear_. You’re easy to read. Like seriously. Too fucking easy.”

“That’s not-mfffh!”

Words and thoughts equally got cut off when Eggsy decided he didn’t want to hear the rest and dived in, capturing Harry’s mouth quickly. It was short and not even a little like the warning, but when the boy pulled away, he was grinning again, even though a little breathlessly.

“Kissing now,” he whispered to Harry’s lips. “Just so you know.”

Well, it was hard to overlook it, wasn’t it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Ooookay. I don't know what to say about this, hahaha. Sorry I guess xD


	8. Good Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Rude,” Eggsy pulled at his hair shortly to show him he didn’t like being teased. It didn’t work. “I’m not tiny.”  
> “You’re a little tiny.”  
> “You’re just overgrown.”

Eggsy wasn’t entirely sure why exactly he decided it was the right time to put some French practice in motion, but since it all felt more like an instinct rather than a plan, he just went along with it – and quite honestly just waited for the first sign of struggle.

There was none. Harry just sat there, held him down, his face a bit too calm for a situation like this, and even basically challenged him to cut the crap and do it.

 _Diagrams or drawings_ , really, how sassy this guy could be, Eggsy had no idea.

So here they were, kissing soundly, because there was nothing standing in a way, and Harry probably realized it wasn’t that bad, or maybe Eggsy just pushed his buttons enough for him to give in.

Either way it was fucking worth it, since _yeah_ , he could kiss pretty good – at first hesitated a little, but when Eggsy pushed more, he responded in kind, opening his mouth slightly to let Eggsy in, and _man_ , it was hotter than hell right from the start when their tongues touched.

 _An_ _adult kiss_ , Eggsy would probably say if he hadn’t been so dazed by the sheer knowledge Harry let him lead it. He wasn’t trying to overpower him; he was just taking, softly and calmly, tilting his head up for better access for the kiss, although stopping Eggsy from rushing it. The blond could tell how Harry was delicately controlling the pace with almost too gentle languid movements of his mouth – not even holding him anyhow; it was like he just presented himself for taking without any resistance, and it was kind of overwhelming.

The pleasant heat was spreading through Eggsy’s body like a gentle fire that wasn’t hurting. It was quiet and pawing on his consciousness almost too tenderly to notice, the proper connection that tried to establish itself – the bond, Eggsy named for himself in his mind. The more he was concentrating on it, the more he didn’t want to end the kiss and his body was searching for closer contact and the more his mark burned like a demanding serpent. His hands were pulling at Harry’s shirt, trying to get the annoying layer of useless clothing off to gain more skin, until there was the breaking point where Harry stopped him and broke the kiss off.

“ _Wait,_ no no no,” Eggsy chased his lips with a whine, but Harry deluded him, his hands suddenly gripping his arms and pushing him further from him, building up a barrier between them.

“Eggsy,” he called his name in a reprimand and it was enough for the blond to return to reality, stilling his struggling body with force. Was it over? It couldn’t be over. “Calm down.”

“Fuck it,” Eggsy took a deep breath, and then another one, but his heart refused to stop pounding. There was no way he could leave the warmth now, no fucking way he would let him go, he was so damn _close_ he could feel it-

“Let me,” he demanded breathlessly. “Don’t tell me you didn’t feel it.”

“I feel like you’re losing control,” Harry’s voice was firm and a little stern, and it felt like cold shower. “Get a grip. Breathe a little.”

Eggsy noticed his hands clutching Harry’s shoulders in a death grip, unable to let go. No way. _No way_. His body was thrumming with energy and impatience and holding it in was almost on board of painful.

“Now, let go of my shoulders, slowly,” Harry was talking again and the request made Eggsy’s blood boil with anger. Denied? Denied _again?_ “Please.”

Another deep breath. It almost hurt to do so, like his fingers refused to cooperate. He couldn’t say no to that request, even when he really wanted to.

“Good boy.”

“Shut up,” he growled and there was a small smile on Harry’s lips, like he was proud on himself or something, and it seriously pissed him off. He tried to move away, but the grip on his right hip stopped him.

“Hold still,” the older man mumbled and reached for his face, touching his upper lip gently, and then backing up with red fingers. Before Eggsy could ask what the fuck was going on, he reached sideways for a tissue and offered it to him.

“Wipe away the blood,” he said quietly and when Eggsy tried it, it came out bloody like somebody just clocked him one into his nose. Since when the fucking nosebleed started? No wonder Harry wanted him to stop, for fuck’s sake.

“What the-,”

“I guess the excitement was a bit too much,” Harry had the nerve to chuckle and his grip eased off. Well, at least it probably started _after_ they broke off the kiss, since there was no blood anywhere on Harry’s face, _thank god_. “You should get some sleep.”

“Oh maaaan,” Eggsy groaned and slumped over Harry’s body as if all the strength got sapped from him again. “That freakin’ sucks.”

“Mhmm.”

“Don’t sound so relieved,” he grumbled and heard Harry chuckle. His body felt like he hadn’t slept for ages. Wasn’t it all ready to go just a minute earlier? He was a little light headed.

“Sorry,” the older man apologized, but there was no _sorry_ in the tone at all. More like he was making fun of him, that damn fucker.

_And the mood was so good too._

“Come on, let’s get you to the bed,” there was an evident try to dislodge him, but Eggsy just shook his head and buried his face to the crook of Harry’s neck.

“Eggsy.”

“I swear I can’t move my body at all,” he mumbled into his skin, hearing him sigh. It wasn’t even a lie; he was just so damn tired. Damn greedy mark, taking it all for itself, he was sure. Feeding like a goddamn parasite.

“Really now.”

“A kiss might help,” the blond offered an easy, pleasant solution, but the huff Harry let out denied that request immediately.

“A kiss made your nose bleed,” he added just for a good measure and Eggsy huffed too.

“A side effect,” he argued back, but Harry didn’t really react, until they suddenly moved and Eggsy yelped and held tighter when he got lifted in the air as Harry stood up, still holding him. Eggsy could only lock his legs around Harry’s hips to stay put when the man started walking like Eggsy weighted shite, and made few dissatisfied noises for the manhandling.

“You’re surprisingly light,” the remark came, because hey, why not. It was like Harry decided to be _funny_ just to make the blond angry.

Which he probably did.

“I didn’t get lunch,” Eggsy uttered dryly, and really, why was he feeling so damn tired instead of pumped up? It was like the energy disappeared like ghost when they parted, and no matter how close was now, it just wasn’t enough. “Did you at least like it?”

“The fact you didn’t get lunch?” Harry opposed, pretty sure knowing very well what was Eggsy asking about. “No, I don’t really like that. I know you’re tiny, but you seemed to be heavier for some reason, trying to play it tough all the time.”

“Rude,” Eggsy pulled at his hair shortly to show him he didn’t like being teased. It didn’t work. “I’m not tiny.”

“You’re a little tiny.”

“You’re just overgrown.”

His laughter was a surprisingly pleasant sound, a little rumbly and deep, but he found himself liking it. It was a good thing – he couldn’t imagine not liking his soulmate’s sign of joy.

 _Wow._ Something really had changed when they talked this afternoon – Harry would never let him to be so close and even kiss him without trying to snap his neck or something. Or maybe biting. He expected a little biting at first, to be honest.

He propped his chin on Harry’s shoulder, watching the house moving around them how Harry carried him through the corridor to the stairs. The place was warm looking, a little old fashioned, maybe. Lots of display-cases with amazing big winged butterflies were gracing the walls – all kinds of them, pinned down. Was it his work? Or did he get them as a gift? A hobby, maybe?

“You really do enjoy pinning things down, don’t you,” he nagged him with a smirk and Harry made a soft noise. It was probably a yes. Maybe they could work on _pinning down_ at some point too – quite frankly Eggsy hadn’t been opposed to the idea _at all_. Which was strange, really, since he never thought of this guy that way before.

Guess the soul bond changed a lot of things. Or maybe just showed lots of possibilities he hadn’t seen before. He wondered if Harry thought about it too – especially after the kiss.

It was a damn good kiss. Surprisingly good, soft and sort of gentle, like a careful exploration, checking the borders and reactions. And well, yeah, Eggsy _did_ lose his control about halfway, but he was pretty sure it was just an adrenaline rush, or the bond’s surge of energy that made him overexcited until the mark took it all.

Damn, his nose bled like that maybe in the third grade the last time. Otherwise it was only because somebody punched him and he punched back. He had lots of those.

“I liked it,” he whispered like his brain refused to admit it out loud. Not that the volume of his voice had an effect when his mouth basically was right next to Harry’s ear. He would hear him anyway. He wasn’t surprised he didn’t get any answer though – the good thing remained, Harry didn’t drop him.

At least not until they reached one of the doors his carrier opened carefully and by some magic even turned on the light without letting go of Eggsy, revealing they were in a bedroom with a nicely big looking bed.

“Classy,” the blond commented, glancing around the room with a whistle. “Are you secretly a Count or something? Where are the big chandeliers? Where are the manservants?”

“I hid them, so you wouldn’t feel awkward,” Harry retorted back easily and Eggsy choked back a laugh. He was fucking joking, no damn way! Eggsy probably lost consciousness and this was only a dream or something. Or maybe Harry knocked him out when he tried to kiss him.

No way was this really Harry Hart talking.

“Who are you and what did you do with my soulmate?” he pulled away enough so he would see Harry’s face and the man raised an eyebrow and his hands suddenly let go, making Eggsy yelp once more, but only because he landed on his butt.

“Ah. Here you are,” he grumbled from the floor unhappily, earning a snort. And there he was hoping they were on the same page, _finally_.

“I’ll bring something for you to change into,” Harry ignored his note profusely and turned around to leave.

“Smart move,” Eggsy mumbled, but he doubted Harry heard him anymore. His uniform was probably a little off putting.

He looked around quietly, scanning thoroughly every corner of the place. The room was darker than he was used to at home, a dark purple covering the walls with heavy brown curtains reaching the floor and hiding the whole opposite wall. The big bed took majority of the room, otherwise there was just one small wardrobe and a tiny table Eggsy considered a playground for Daisy, since it looked like the one she owned and played tea party at. He kind of hoped Harry didn’t play such games anymore.

But who knew. He could have been into all kinds of weird shite.

The floor was soft with furry black carpet that Eggsy didn’t even mind sitting there until Harry emerged again with pile of clothes in his arms. When he got a dubious look when he was given the clothes, he had to admit he should have at least moved it to the bed.

“I take it it’s your playground here?” he nodded towards the bed when Harry put down his glasses. He seemed a little different without them – softer, maybe, less strict.

“It’s my house,” Harry responded with a shrug and Eggsy rolled his eyes.

“Your bedroom I mean,” he elaborated, since his companion apparently didn’t mean to play along. “This one.”

“Yes.”

“And I’m going to sleep here?” the blond inquired, pulling the shirt off his shoulders and reached for the spare one Harry brought. It was apparently a baseball dress and that didn’t look like Harry’s style at all. He checked the back, but there was only a number and no name.

“On the floor? If you insist,” Harry walked past him and Eggsy _hmphed_ while pulling the shirt over his head. It was slightly big but kind of soft and comfy. It didn’t really smell of anything, no matter how hard he sniffed to find out.

_Oh well. Too proper I guess._

“In your bed, smartass,” he stuck his tongue at Harry because he goddamn could and well, fine, he deserved that concrete eye roll.

“Well, yes,” Harry answered anyway, even though a bit exasperated. “Or it wouldn’t really have the effect, would it.”

“That’s my man.”

“You’ll be good,” a warning tone and Eggsy grinned.

“I’m always good,” he responded cheekily and started fighting with his belt. Harry even brought him sweatpants – how diligent of him.

“Sleeping,” Harry added rather grudgingly and Eggsy gasped with a faked shock.

“I can’t promise such a thing,” he retorted dramatically, but when Harry remained unimpressed, he just sighed and gave out a tiny nod.

“I can barely lift a finger; I’m seriously not having enough strength to attack you anyhow.”

“How reassuring.”

“Imma a hugger tho,” he warned him out of habit, more or less. “Or a kicker.”

“That kind of excludes each other,” Harry pointed out and sat down on other side of the bed while he was unlocking his watch. It was, probably, a little awkward to be here with him now, in such proximity, getting ready to bed. “You’re either a hugger, or you kick.”

“Depends on the day before,” Eggsy shrugged and pulled on the sweatpants, trying not to think there _was_ a reason for him to be nervous. _Ugh, long trousers._ There had to be a model career in Harry’s life somewhere, with so damn long legs. “A nice day means hugging. A bad day means kicking.”

“Charming,” Harry uttered dryly and it made Eggsy chuckle.

“Guess it’s going to be a surprise for you today,” he climbed on top of the bed with a huff, his body begging for a good night sleep he barely recognized himself. “Cuz at first I really wanted to kick you in the shin. The second half of the day was a loooot better though.”

“Was it now,” Harry’s lips curled up like he was amused and for a moment Eggsy thought he had enough strength to show him how good it was – and could have been – but once Harry threw a blanket over him, it was a question of seconds before he fell asleep like a dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well. Yeah, lol.  
> Also, a hugger or a kicker? :D I talk in my sleep as far as I know, but don't really kick ppl off the bed xD What about you?


	9. Sleeping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Eggsy,” he grumbled, trying to push the blond off him, since he was apparently sitting next to him and leaning over his side like a puppy. “Let go of me, you octopus.”  
> “Oh, a hugging night I guess?” the blond laughed above him and didn’t move an inch, of course. “Lucky you. Still better than kicking, innit?”  
> “I swear, if you’re not going to let me sleep for at least another hour, I’m going to do some kicking myself.”

Harry was restless. There was sleep pulling at his consciousness demandingly, but something was stopping him to give in, even though he really tried. The soft breathing next to him was so alien that he found himself listening to it with a morbid curiosity, counting the seconds between the inhales and exhales and kept himself from sleeping.

It was always quiet here. He wasn’t used to anyone invading his space, his habits, his learned pace, but suddenly this boy was here and everything crumbled under his onslaught. No matter he was a quiet sleeper – he didn’t mumble, toss or turn, and he didn’t even kick or tried to hug him in his sleep. He just lied there, silently, with evened breathing, and Harry was still a bit too much aware of his presence.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. It was already one in the morning and he hadn’t slept a bit. He turned his head to the side; his eyes already accustomed to the dark enough to see the silhouette of Eggsy’s body sleeping peacefully, and watched him with a slight frown. He expected him to put up a fight about the sleeping arrangement – or just throw a scene, really, especially after the living room moment.

He sighed and turned on his side, facing the boy. He looked so damn innocent like this – expression relaxed, lips slightly parted, and surprisingly long eyelashes fluttering momentarily under the vivid dreaming. Who would say he could make such a ruckus – or be so masterfully manipulative? Harry wasn’t blind; he could see Eggsy pulling the strings when the opportunity presented itself like he was learned to do that by every day basis. He could do that to Harry with scary precision – maybe even too easily, until he got what he wanted.

Well, the goal should have been similar for both of them, Harry mused. After the talk he had to admit there was truth in the words and the longer he was exposed to the boy’s influence, the more he felt the barriers were lowering themselves in order to accommodate him.

 _Just carefully_.

It wasn’t _only_ Eggsy who lost his control in the living room. Harry felt himself slipping as well, slowly letting go of the careful balance he maintained until then, and if there wasn’t the sudden effort from Eggsy to get his shirt off, he would probably be far too gone to stop him if it continued. There was a faint burning lingering in his wrist until now, but before it seared a lot, almost too much, like it was fighting against something and he couldn’t point a finger on it.

The point was – kissing was, well, _nice._ He had nothing against it, albeit he probably should have. But for some reason there was nothing – no regret, no refusal, only the acknowledgment the blond was a wildcard and able to get him where he wanted him almost effortlessly.

And now they were in the bed, maintaining the proximity for the bond to settle itself down, and Harry just couldn’t stop his brain from thinking and keeping him away from the requested slumber.

It was the sole presence. The added weight on the mattress, the warmth he could feel even though they weren’t as close, the occasional shift that moved the surface, like it disturbed him no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

Did he even call his mother? Harry wasn’t sure. Everything happened relatively fast and got rather wild at some point that he stopped thinking about it until now. His family had to know already about the bond – they knew Eggsy had a soulmate, right? Especially if the initial sickness kept him up for the whole night throwing up, no way his mother would overlook it. And the mark…

Harry huffed and flexed his marked hand as if in response to it.

 _The happy lot_. Yeah. Maybe he was, after all. Maybe it was the interesting part to get to know his soulmate, to find the hidden charms – because they were there, he already knew. Eggsy was smart, he was even reasonable when he wanted to and didn’t feel the need to dare Harry to do something crazy again. He was sensual and responded easily to touches – it seemed like the physical part of the relationship wouldn’t pose a problem.

He stopped, cringing a little. Was he seriously thinking how a possible sex could go? Why did it even came to his mind so easily? He wanted to lock him up somewhere just this very morning and suddenly he wasn’t even opposed to touch him on daily basis?

Well, fine. Another quality Eggsy had – he was _persuasive._ Very much so. His arguments were valid and his apparent inclination to push Harry into something more intimate was starting to bear fruit. Easy kissing. Easy touching.

Not so easy sleeping.

A sudden mumble cut his thoughts off and Eggsy was shuffling closer, reaching for Harry’s form blindly. He considered avoiding his grabby hands, but then thought better of it and remained in position, until the blond crossed the line of his bed side and buried his face into Harry’s chest, breathing out in satisfaction and growing quiet again.

“A hugger mood then,” Harry huffed; trying to find a comfortable position for both of them, and Eggsy hummed in his sleep and swung one of his hands around Harry’s waist, keeping him on a spot.

Probably still better than being kicked off the bed, he mused. He couldn’t shake off the tenseness though and as much as the warmth was pleasant, the sleep was successfully deferred indefinitely.

***

Four in the morning.

Harry found himself dozing off from time to time, just to flinch awake when Eggsy took a little sharper breath or moved a bit, his hands grabbing Harry’s shirt occasionally. He was like an octopus, refusing the let go and even pushing long enough to intertwine their legs together that Harry gave in at some point.

He surely was an adaptable one, no doubt about that, and apparently a heavy sleeper as well, since nothing woke him up – not Harry’s movement, not his breathing, not touches.

And, well, yeah, there were touches. Curious ones, just because he didn’t know what to do when he couldn’t sleep, so he tentatively reached for the blond hair, running through it to find out what kind of texture it had. Soft and smooth for the touch, he mused. Eggsy didn’t even stir at it, but Harry wasn’t risking any more attempts and let it be. It would be hard to explain anyway.

He yawned; glancing back at the clock to remind himself how he hadn’t slept almost at all and the time was reaching five, and then looked back at the blond hair that was peeking from under the covers and his shirt. It seemed like he inched closer and closer during the night and Harry sort of expected him to climb on top of him at some point.

_Hugger for sure._

“You’re really something,” he whispered, his hand tentatively reached for the hair again, gently stroking his head until his fingers brushed along the nape of his neck where the mark had been.

It was strange, knowing about the placement, knowing what it did. Like a dangerous zone that wasn’t wise to breach, like it could pull him deeper while he still thought of struggling. He hesitated, his hand hovering above the naked skin, and then he pulled away, rather resting on the bare crook of his neck. The baseball dress he gave him for sleeping was rather big – even for Harry, really – and somehow the available skin showed to him now was a perfect place to touch. His fingers brushed over it gently, following the line of the bone all the way to the joint already partly covered by the collar of the shirt, where he stopped with a soft hum, drawing abstract shapes in a deep thought.

“Tickles.”

Harry stopped like somebody froze him when he heard the sleepy voice. The blond stirred a little, then moved slightly higher, circling his arms around Harry’s neck, pushing closer. His lips brushed over Harry’s throat until he snuggled on his shoulder and breathed out contently.

Harry waited almost without breath, but the breathing of the boy evened once more and after several seconds it was apparent he fell back asleep.

Harry didn’t dare to touch him again.

***

The heavy weight on his side was probably the main thing that woke him up. He blinked sleepily against the shimmering light that was trying to fight through the crannies in between the curtains and moved slightly, just to realize the weight was actually preventing him.

“Look who’s back from the dead,” he heard above him and groaned. He felt like he slept maybe an hour – and from the look at the clock, yeah, he probably did.

“Eggsy,” he grumbled, trying to push the blond off him, since he was apparently sitting next to him and leaning over his side like a puppy. “Let go of me, you octopus.”

“Oh, a hugging night I guess?” the blond laughed above him and didn’t move an inch, _of course_. “Lucky you. Still better than kicking, innit?”

“I swear, if you’re not going to let me sleep for at least another hour, I’m going to do some kicking myself.”

“Grumpy,” Eggsy definitely had been grinning, he could hear it in the tone of his voice, but the weight finally disappeared. “Haven’t you slept the whole night?”

“I tried not to suffocate the whole night,” Harry uttered dryly and grew even more annoyed when the sleep started to elude him like a snake in water. He was pulled back to the wakefulness without mercy and that made him even grumpier. He rolled on his back, huffing, and immediately noticed Eggsy peering at him from the edge of the bed, the sleeping clothes hanging loosely on him, hair dishevelled. He probably just woke up too by the still a little hazy eyes, and there was a strange, dumbstruck smile on his face too.

Also a phone in his hand.

Harry rubbed his eyes, chasing away the lingering tiredness. He was not going to back asleep for sure, thanks to this little brat.

“Have you called your mother that you’re staying here?” he asked a little gruffly and Eggsy’s expression morphed into one that could have been described as _oops_.

“Uh… yeah, sure…” he mumbled, putting the phone down almost guiltily. “In a different universe, probably.”

“Great,” Harry closed his eyes for a while, taking a deep breath. So there was even a possible mother on loose, trying to find her son.

“But she’s chill, she knows I don’t come home at times,” Eggsy shrugged and it made Harry frown unhappily. Not something he liked to hear.

“I mean, I do come home, of course,” Eggsy apparently noticed, since he hurried with an explanation, and inched a little closer again. “But like… in the morning or you know.”

“I don’t think I want to know,” Harry waved his hand and forced himself to sit up. His body felt like after a heavy workout, weak and tired. This sleeping arrangement was bad, very, very bad. He had to think of something else or he was never going to get any sleep.

Maybe he should keep Eggsy _under_ the bed? He would definitely fit. Coming home in the morning, for sure. _No way_.

“Hey, I’m still sorta a teenager,” Eggsy opposed, but he sounded meeker. Harry expected him to fight for it, but it seemed he didn’t want to argue the first thing in the morning. Which was… agreeable. “I tend to do stupid shite. I mean, I did. Not anymore.”

“Not teenager anymore?” Harry gave him a look and the tense posture of his young companion surprised him. It was like he expected Harry to scold him or something – and, well, Harry wanted for a while. His teaching habits were dying hard.

“Not irresponsible anymore,” the blond said quietly. “Or, you know. Trying not to.”

 _Try harder_ , he wanted to say. Put on some reprimand. But in the end he just nodded and said _good_. For some reason it looked like it was all Eggsy was waiting for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I couldn't possibly imagine Harry, who had been living on his own for this long, to sleep peacefully right the first night with somebody else. So yeah :D


	10. Habits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I never fall asleep when I am in a bed with somebody for the first time,” she added, probably to make him feel better, and offered a small smile.   
> “Because that happens to you every Friday,” he snorted and she hmphed. Roxy was probably the least promiscuous person in the whole England, her relationships were always long lived – that was why she had only two so far. Well, only. It was enough when you took things seriously. And she did, in comparison to him.   
> But hey, he was different now. He had a soulmate. It was the final stop.

“For a guy who sent me a photo of his boyfriend right from the bed you sure look grumpy.”

Eggsy didn’t even know how to reply to that, so he only grunted when Roxy sat next to him in the cafeteria and smiled a bit too widely for his misery. He didn’t even know why he still considered her a friend after she became a teacher and decided to be all _proper_ – even more than her _Hermione Granger_ style during high school. They hadn’t talked for a year at least, so when she appeared here, in _his_ school, it was actually pretty awesome – especially for her when she found out Eggsy and Harry had been soulmates. She was always a huge fan of the soul bonds, although not having one herself. Although she always said _yet_.

He wondered why she didn’t even stopped at the age difference, but since her ever romantic soul was too invested in it, he assumed she just didn’t care about years or genders or anything, and was apparently more excited about it than he had been.

Which, really, she probably really was, at least after this morning when his self-confidence dropped below zero. There was nothing he was kind of hoping for – yeah, he expected Harry to be a little grumpy, since he looked like a grumpy morning person before his first cup of coffee, but that was fine, as long as the grumpiness was going to go away after. Then maybe get into some more kissing, because why not, it was morning and the best way how to get a nice shot of energy and excitement. Get some endorphins flowing and all that shite, and then maybe even some non-aggressive talking about stupid topics during the breakfast.

He got none. No kiss, no breakfast, no after coffee niceness. Harry did make coffee, alright. But then he dressed, disappeared outside to smoke, got back even grumpier since it was rainy and then they started yapping at each other about the sleeping thing, closely followed by pouty silence all the way to the school.

“There is a long way from being boyfriends,” he uttered with a sigh. “I swear we just can’t have a day without arguing.”

“Oh?” she voiced out, worry creased her forehead. “I assumed you kinda… made up? Hence the photo.”

“Nah, just had a trial run, he decided it wasn’t worth it, and we are back to the square one.”

“What?” she stared at him in a quiet shock. It was probably the only thing that made her unhappy about Eggsy having a soulmate – Harry’s dismissive attitude. She had a gift to get every little information out of him when it mattered, so she knew about everything that happened between them, and he considered paying her like a psychologist. “Like he’s gonna ignore you again?”

“Nah,” Eggsy rubbed his eyes tiredly and straightened up. “Just the sleeping arrangement. He wasn’t happy about it. Apparently couldn’t sleep the whole night.”

“Cuz you kicked him,” she deadpanned immediately and he gave her an evil eye. Why she always assumed the worst? He wasn’t that bad. And he kicked a girl off the bed only _once_. And it wasn’t even Roxy!

“I’ve hugged him, thank you very much,” he elaborated in a hiss. Apparently too much for his tastes though, since he called him octopus about five more times during the morning – and not in a fond fashion. “He wasn’t a huge fan.”

“Well, it’s pretty normal when you sleep with somebody for the first time,” she shrugged like it was no big deal – and damn, it _was_ a big deal. Eggsy understood not sleeping was always making people grumpy like hell, but Harry was able to serve it with even worse tint to it, like it was all Eggsy’s fault and the world was depending on his shut eye.  

“I never fall asleep when I am in a bed with somebody for the first time,” she added, probably to make him feel better, and offered a small smile.

“Because that happens to you every Friday,” he snorted and she _hmphed_. Roxy was probably the least promiscuous person in the whole England, her relationships were _always_ long lived – that was why she had only two so far. Well, _only_. It was enough when you took things seriously. And she did, in comparison to him.

But hey, he was different now. He had a soulmate. It was the final stop.

“It’s natural,” she just finished her thought shortly. “Just give it a few more tries and he’ll sleep like a baby, I’m sure. If he wasn’t used to it, suddenly having you taking up his personal space must have been… difficult.”

“You’re really trying not to say _hard_ every time, don’t you,” he smirked and she rolled her eyes.

“Because you _always_ make a double meaning remark, you jerk,” she pushed him and Eggsy barked out a laugh. Well, yeah, maybe he did, because he knew she was trying so damn much not to say it and give him ammunition.

“But I mean it,” she grew all serious again. “It’s just a habit. Stepping out of the comfort zone is what matters.”

“Which he doesn’t want to,” he uttered dryly. Harry had been all ruffled up the whole morning and when they actually got to the sleeping topic, he insisted not to do it again for _both of their sakes_. Eggsy didn’t talk to him for the whole ride to school.

“Stubborn,” she sighed and yeah, it was what he had been telling himself too, that Harry was just stubborn and brat-ish in it, but after yesterday it seemed like he reconsidered. Until this morning, that is. “Just give him time to calm down I guess? Maybe he was just grumpy because he couldn’t sleep and you had an urge to nag him until he snapped.”

“Very funny,” Eggsy grouched even more. Fine, he did nag him. And yes, Harry snapped. But it wasn’t just black and white, okay? Eggsy was trying to lighten up the mood. Harry apparently wanted to have a coffee and a smoke and drown in silence.

Silence was an enemy and Eggsy hated it, so, naturally, they argued.

“Class is in five,” she nudged him gently while standing up. “Keep me updated, will you?”

“If there will be anything to update,” he shrugged unhappily and she disappeared in a crowd. The upcoming class with Tilde seemed the worst idea in the whole world.

***

**Roxy – 17:41 – [1 attachment]**

** **

Eggsy almost choked when the picture from Roxy came. He was trying to track down his soulmate the whole day, but Harry completely eluded him, definitely because he didn’t want to talk _at all_.  

**Eggsy – 17:44 – Where the fuck have you found him?! I’ve been trying to track him down the whole fucking day!**

**Roxy – 17:45 – They were with Merlin on a seminar in the C building since the morning, smartass.**

“Oh.”

Not that Harry had the need to tell him or anything. Not that he even gave him his number. Which he definitely should have done. Not that they had any classes together today where Eggsy would be able to corner him.

Although cornering him meant being ready for the annoyed look, and he didn’t really have the strength for it. But then again – the strength was why he needed to pin Harry somewhere and kiss him senseless.

Or, you know, peck him. At least a little. Not that Frenching him was mandatory. Just… a little wanted, probably. He wasn’t ashamed to admit kissing him was pretty nice yesterday, especially when Harry got into it as well.

“Do you want to tell us something, bro?”

Eggsy blinked and then quickly shook her head when he noticed Professor Valentine was staring at him from his table, arms crossed and eyes challenging.

“Sorry,” he piped, burying lower under his table. He had been spacing out the whole lesson and he was pretty sure Valentine knew it, since he was sharp as the thinnest sheet of paper. He never had troubles with him – too much respect for the guy – but he never really excelled here either. Too lazy, as Harry would say.

Well, at least Valentine had the heart to let it slide.

***

**Roxy – 18:53 – He’s so proper.**

**Eggsy – 18:53 – Where is that bastard now?**

**Roxy – 18:54 – Common room. I think he’s ready to leave though. You still haven’t talked?**

**Eggsy – 18:54 – Guess.**

Eggsy had an urge to go and strangle him, because hey, that was so fucking unfair. Why he had to be such a fucking child and avoid him like a plague? Or just leave him hanging? Not to mention this fucking lesson dragged like it was infinite and he had an itch to get up and just leave with no word uttered, and maybe also to hit something. Preferably Harry.

He was tired, cranky and probably little on a withdrawal now – if that was what the freaking bond did after being too long apart, because hey, he haven’t even _seen_ his soulmate the whole damn day. If this was Harry’s _no avoiding_ rule or _spend time together_ rule, then he was seriously blowing it.

**Roxy – 18:58 – He just left.**

**Eggsy – 18:58 – Throw a bomb after him.**

Well, guess there were kudos for trying. Not so much for failing so hard. It was a little surprising, but Eggsy wasn’t even that angry, just, maybe, disappointed. He knew getting used to something completely different wasn’t easy but giving up after first attempt just never cut it.

He contemplated writing something more to Roxy, ask her how he looked, if he seemed tired or angry or just his usual self, but he stopped himself every time he opened the new message. What would be the point to know?

“Mr. Unwin,” he blinked, a weird sense of Déjà vu washing over him, but this time it wasn’t Valentine, but Merlin, who was staring up at him with his arms crossed.

“Sorry,” he mumbled again, hiding his phone in his pocket and rubbing his eyes. Damn, _so tired_.

“Well, I got used to the fact you’re rarely listening,” the Professor shrugged with a sigh and then nodded towards the door to the class. “I think it’s time for you to leave though. You’re excused.”

“I am…?” he blinked again, not really sure if he was _excused_ as in kicked out for spacing out, or excused because…  The first glance towards the exit told him it was not because Merlin took a pity on him.

Nope. Harry Hart was standing at the door with a little impatient expression and when their eyes met, he motioned for him to come – and Eggsy would deny any claim that he almost killed himself while scrambling to get to him as fast as he could.  

“Thanks, Merlin,” Harry said towards the teacher before he closed the door behind them and Merlin only waved them off with a smirk. Eggsy probably never saw him looking like that, it was pretty disconcerting. He secretly thought he and Harry were a pair of robots anyway.

“You actually look like the one who haven’t been sleeping,” Harry commented right the moment when the silence of the hallway engulfed them. “You looked barely conscious in the classroom.”

“Tired,” Eggsy shrugged, feeling strangely nervous. Were they on talking basis or was this just a polite conversation and an awkward aftermath? He couldn’t tell.

“Tell me about it,” the older man sighed and Eggsy got ready for another octopus reference, because he had been getting that a lot today, so why would he stop? But then Harry just reached for him, his hand catching Eggsy by his chin and then pulling him closer to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

All by himself.

No wonder Eggsy’s brain froze, unable to actually reciprocate or react for a second, until Harry was backing off again, the grip easing off.

“Better?” he had the nerve to ask and Eggsy didn’t know, he seriously couldn’t tell, because he just got kissed by this guy without even coaxing him into it – and what just happened? That meeting must have given him a different mind-set or something?

“Doesn’t look better,” another notion that finally made Eggsy snap out of the shock, feeling the mark heating up gradually, and he shook his head and took a deep breath.

“Not better,” he agreed a little too obviously, but who cared. “I’m sure another try would be more successful though. You caught me off guard.”

“That would make us even,” Harry only smirked – really, he was smiling? – and turned around to leave. When he did about five steps and Eggsy was still standing on a spot, dumbstruck, he turned back to him and tilted his head to the side. “Coming?”

_Fuck. I take it all back._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for the snapchats photos, haha (pleasedon'tkillme).


	11. A Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s a test, you see,” Eggsy’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he quickly shook them off. He tended to space out terribly today, but this was definitely for the lack of sleep so his mind was slipping.   
> “A test?” he asked quietly and the second he did a waitress appeared, bringing them their food. “Oh, I am not even hungry, you shouldn’t have-.”  
> “That’s the test,” Eggsy pointed at the tray where an enormous burger laid, surrounded by French fries and a salad. It looked appealing, he had to admit, just not really his forte.

Stopping at Eggsy’s place was surprisingly fast. Since they left the school and Eggsy asked for a stop by at his home, so he could actually pack something with him and not hogging Harry’s clothes, up to the moment when they arrived to the small house Eggsy disappeared in, Harry was able only to check half of his mails and the boy was back with a bag, jumping over the fence with ease. He changed from his school uniform at least – which was even more curious how he actually managed to change and pack in such short time – and looked maybe even a tad younger than before, especially with the cap on his head.

“What’s with your face?” he greeted Harry with a grin and threw the bag on the back seat while he sat in the front one, next to him. “Like what you see?”

Harry repressed the urge to roll his eyes, because he should have expected it. He contemplated to tell him he look like a high schooler in this, but thought better of it and let the comment slide without reaction.

“Just expected you to take longer,” he responded simply and started up the car. There was no one at the door waving Eggsy off or anything when he glanced there, expecting his mother at least. She was not even looking out of the window to check. He found it strange, since it was already half past seven. Could she work this late? “Explaining your mother why are you leaving for a weekend or something.”

“She’s not home,” Eggsy explained casually, answering Harry’s silent question. “It’s Friday, so she’s prolly at Janine’s place. Daisy likes to play with her kid, so it’s _beneficial_.”

“Beneficial,” Harry repeated with a chuckle, the tenseness lessening. He could imagine Eggsy’s mother saying that, even though he didn’t really know her. He saw her once or twice during the year, but only like a passing glimpse, but never talked to her. “Alright then.”

“Can we stop by somewhere to eat?” Eggsy halted him from taking a turn and Harry blinked in confusion.

“You haven’t eaten yet?” he asked probably a little dumbly. He wasn’t even sure what he had at home to eat, so there was grocery shopping on the list too, but the first thing that came to his mind was that Eggsy haven’t even eaten his lunch properly.

“Well, not in the last four hours,” the blond replied casually, like it was no big deal, and Harry quietly nodded. Well, alright, so another issue to deal with – having Eggsy properly fed every day.

_I should make a list…_

“Alright,” Harry just said, more to himself than to the boy, and pulled over. Several possible restaurants flew through his mind as he tried mentally visualize the shortest way to them from here, until he felt a quick touch on his forearm from the boy.

“I know just the place,” Eggsy chimed in and pointed at the turn that was slowly approaching. “Just take it to the left and to the end of the block, yeah?”

Harry really didn’t have the strength to ask any question, so he obeyed and let the car go at the destination until they stopped at the fast food restaurant. _Naturally._ He wondered if youngsters actually considered a normal restaurant food as a possibility where to feed themselves, or if the fast food was the only viable option for them – out of fashion, probably.

“Here?” he gave the blond a dubious look. They could go somewhere… healthier, maybe? He always avoided junk food, for some unexplained reason it never really occurred to him to eat it. But since Eggsy’s shiny eyes gave him the answer without words, he just sighed and parked the car at the free spot, following his younger companion to the restaurant.

He barely noticed Eggsy ordering something and suddenly he was being pulled to a free table where they sat facing each other like on a first date. Just some cheesy music was missing and maybe a candle. He felt out of place sitting there in his suit, especially when he was surrounded by people far younger than him. The place was small and probably a little overrun, but not _that_ bad for a frequently visited place. It was almost full, so he assumed the food was probably worth something. If not the right nutrition.

“We could have ordered take outs?” he offered while glancing around. Nobody really paid them attention, which was a small miracle. He still thought of them as a strange pair at the best.

“We could have,” the blond shrugged, looking somewhat pleased with himself, although Harry couldn’t really find out why. It wasn’t like he tricked him into something bad, or won some of their arguments – it actually reminded him of something _normal_ for a change, like a peaceful hanging out. What was he so happy about? After today’s morning he expected him to be gruff and probably still angry, because their argument was nasty and Harry had overdone it there.

It was enough that he couldn’t stop mauling over it the whole day, completely ignoring the meeting they had that even Merlin called him on it, since his expression was apparently _dreamy_. He didn’t really believe that guy, but he agreed he wasn’t paying enough attention.

Or not at all.

It wasn’t like he wanted to punish the boy – it wasn’t his fault Harry was such a damn light sleeper and so unused to somebody next to him. He got ahead of himself – they probably should have started with the separate rooms at first, but when he brought him to his own bedroom, it was already too late to back out of it. It was probably something like a dare, and he refused to lose when Eggsy called him on it.

 _What a childish thing to say_.

But, of course, he was unable to explain it calmly to Eggsy the next day, so they quarrelled like two dogs and it completely blew the true essence of this arrangement – they were supposed to calm the bond down. This way they probably agitated it more than they should have and paid the price – even Harry had to admit he felt rather sluggish, and not just because he hadn’t slept. The mark was acting up the whole day too, only calming down now, in Eggsy’s presence.

“It’s a test, you see,” Eggsy’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he quickly shook them off. He tended to space out terribly today, but this was definitely for the lack of sleep so his mind was slipping.

“A test?” he asked quietly and the second he did a waitress appeared, bringing them their food. “Oh, I am not even hungry, you shouldn’t have-.”

“That’s the test,” Eggsy pointed at the tray where an enormous burger laid, surrounded by French fries and a salad. It looked appealing, he had to admit, just not really his forte.

“The food is?” he glanced up at the boy and Eggsy nodded – he seemed rather curious, eyes searching and shoulders a little tense like he was nervous about it. “I don’t really fancy this kind of…”

“Yeah, I figured you don’t,” the blond smirked. “But I just want you to try. Once, you don’t need to finish it. Just try it.”

 _To what point_ , he wanted to ask, but then again – it was just food. It wasn’t supposed to poison him, hopefully. So he gulped down the remark and nodded, inspecting the portion for a second and then tasting it carefully.

“Ah,” he blinked in surprise. It was actually pretty good. “It’s really good?”

“It really is,” Eggsy chuckled, watching Harry carefully. “I mean, this is an Old Timer, it’s not the regular burger. I mean, it’s not like people don’t like it, they just prefer a different ones I guess. But I love it. Thought you may too, since, you know, soulmates.”

“Curious,” Harry commented in wonder. He was right, the more he ate, the more he liked it – and he would never go for it by himself. Such thought of them being actually with the same tastes got him thinking – it opened so many possibilities and drew them closer, somehow.

“Coffee?” Eggsy asked and Harry didn’t even think when he answered with _black_.

“Same,” the blond hummed. “How about tea?”

“I don’t really fancy fruity ones, more like the classic types,” Harry answered with a shrug. “No milk though. I never really liked it.”

“Yeah, it even looks gross,” Eggsy grinned and finally started eating. There was something really pleased about him and Harry wondered if this simple revelation made him genuinely happy or if there was something more.

“You look happy,” he commented a little lamely. It sounded more like an accusation and he didn’t know why. He didn’t mean to call him out for it, it was a good thing he smiled in Harry’s presence. If Harry wanted to be completely honest, lately he disliked any quarrel they had, and any frown that came his way.

“Yeah?” The boy’s eyes were somehow brighter. Green? Or blue? He wasn’t entirely sure with the right colour. Maybe it was a mix?

“Somehow,” Harry mumbled, reaching for another bite to hide the nervousness and to stop himself from staring. He didn’t want to breach the subject, not until they were home, but now there was no way out. He knew talking about it was inevitable.

“Hmm,” he head the boy hum. “Kinda, prolly. Almost gave up on ya.”

“Oh?” Harry glanced back up, meeting the blond’s gaze. It stung a bit and he didn’t like it. He really had to be a shitty person this morning – and the more he was reminded of it, the more he despised himself for it.

“Well, thought you wouldn’t show up and so. Tried to find you the whole day, but it seemed like you were avoiding me,” Eggsy pointed out and there was something a little accusing in his voice. He had the right though, Harry should have told him about the meeting. He knew it beforehand, but somehow he didn’t find it relevant to inform him. “So I got a little fed up.”

“There was a meeting in another building,” Harry said as calmly as he could. He didn’t want him to think he was trying to avoid him, because he didn’t. Eggsy probably wouldn’t believe it, but Harry regretted his bad behaviour right the moment he lost Eggsy from his sight at school, that he basically started it and let him go on his way with a knowledge Harry was angry and pretty nasty about it. The anger burned down fast and in the end he felt rather lame for it.

“Yeah, I know there was,” the blond said matter-of-factly. “But I learned pretty late about it, so.”

“Sorry,” Harry said quietly. He wanted to apologize for the whole day, and finally saying the word was somehow liberating, but not enough. Eggsy just nodded, looking back to his food, and Harry felt an urge to reach out and do something – to squeeze his hand or maybe just brush through his hair, and it got him momentarily dumbstruck.

Yesterday must have torn down other barriers than just his acceptance – like he was suddenly used to touching him. If they weren’t here, in the restaurant, he would already initiate contact without the second thought – that wasn’t considered _normal_ just two days ago. And yet, somehow, it seemed like the right thing to do – and what was more interesting – a desired one.

_Is this the bond’s doing?_

“Phone number would be great,” the boy piped suddenly. “I have no way to reach you, it’s kinda lame, you gotta admit. We could have continued barking at each other via texts, imagine how awesome would that be.”

“I don’t really think it would be awesome,” Harry mumbled and reached for the phone to shake off the strange thoughts – or maybe not strange, since this was what they were supposed to be – just unexpected. “This morning was…”

“Lemme,” Eggsy gesticulated towards him and Harry handed him the phone without a second thought. Once it was in his hand, it occurred to him it was probably not the best idea he ever had, especially when Eggsy snorted the moment he got it.

“Without comments,” he advised him sternly and Eggsy grinned, but actually kept his opinion to himself while he fiddled with the small device. It wasn’t even so bad – it was a normal smartphone, Harry wasn’t _that_ old fashioned. But there were millions of possibilities of what could make the blond so amused, and he rather let it be, not inquiring further.

“This morning sucked,” the boy said after a moment of silence and fiddling with the phone. “But you know that.”

“I apologize,” Harry tried again to quiet down the poisonous beast of guilt inside of him. Why no words actually helped? “It was rather uncalled for.”

“No shit,” Eggsy glanced at him minutely, his eyes sharp. “But fine. I joined the bark fest, so I’m sorry too. Not so sorry for the rest when I got banished from the bedroom though.”

“Eggsy-,”

“I get it,” the blond shrugged, but didn’t look at him. Harry was pretty sure it was just an act. “Stepping out of a comfort zone sucks.”

“It does.”

“But Roxy said few more tries should get rid of the habit,” another notion and Harry stopped dead in his tracks. _Roxy?_ “Like, it’s normal you are not used to it, but avoiding it completely won’t help.”

“Roxy?” he repeated the name and Eggsy finally looked at him again.

“Duh, Morton?” he motioned vaguely. “The lit teacher.”

“You talked about it with your literature teacher?” he couldn’t hide the bitter tone in his voice. Wasn’t this personal? Not to mention – was he _hanging out_ with another teacher, making the Tilde incident repeated itself? Was he really so damn irresponsible?

“Yeah, sort of,” Eggsy shrugged like it was no big deal. “Roxy is a fan of soul bonds, she knows shite.”

“Your literature teacher,” Harry repeated coldly, trying to emphasize on the sole point of his mood drop. Eggsy just hummed, then three seconds of nothing passed, until it probably got to him and he quickly looked up.

“Not like _that!”_ he yelped and then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus, Harry.”

“Well, sorry for knowing about your record with female professors in the school,” Harry uttered coldly, his appetite dropping.

“She’s my _friend_ ,” Eggsy sighed, an evident frustration apparent. “Like, I know her for _years_. I can’t help she decided to pursue her Hermione Granger dream and started teaching like a colossal nerd.”

For some reason it didn’t really help and Harry only shook his head.

“I mean it, she’s like a sister,” Eggsy insisted. “Imma not telling her anything bad, I swear this was just a genuine inquiry, since she’s smart and stuff.”

“I’m sure,” Harry huffed. He couldn’t get rid of the bitter taste in his mouth no matter how hard he tried. He saw her twice, probably, since she started working in the school, and he never really caught any concrete vibe out of her, except of the fact she had been very young. And now this? _Not telling anything bad_ , as if Harry believed that. It was enough their soul bond was a hot topic in the whole school; they didn’t need to know the damn details of it too!

“Are you jealous?”

That simple question stopped him dead in his tracks. _Jealous_?

“Why’d you be so mad otherwise?” Eggsy continued quietly. “Cuz you think I had been dabbling with her behind your back?”

“Just drop it,” Harry bit out grudgingly. _Jealous_. What a crazy thought. Completely unrelated, completely stupid. Completely… possible. Was it possible? For fuck’s sake, he wasn’t seventeen anymore.

A minute of silence engulfed them, interrupted only by the buzzing of other people’s conversations, and Harry didn’t have the courage to look up. He nibbled in his food to keep his hands busy, until his phone appeared his field of vision.

“There, all done,” Eggsy announced and waited until Harry took the device. Before he could even check it for possible pranks set in there, its screen lit up with a received image. He opened it rather hesitantly, expecting the worse since he was sure it came from Eggsy, and for five seconds there was a photo of their food and Harry stared at it with a raised eyebrow until it disappeared.

“First unhealthy food?” he repeated the text in confusion and Eggsy hummed in agreement while putting his own phone to the side.

“Gotta make it memorable, eh?” he pointed out cheekily. “It’s an app by the way. Don’t worry, it won’t do anything bad, it’s just for pictures.”

“I give up,” Harry let out a defeated sigh and rather finished his food without any further comments. There was no winning with the boy anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> This chapter made me hungry. Also, Harry, you jelly baby.


	12. Slow Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Slow down?” Harry repeated, his voice a little sleepy. Eggsy thought he dozed off for a while there, since the movement on his back stilled about half an hour ago, but then it resumed again and he thought it was because he accidentally moved too much it woke the man up.  
> “Yeah, when we are kissing?” Eggsy responded while looking up, noticing the confusion in Harry’s eyes that slowly morphed into an understanding.  
> “I thought it was you who told me to do my research,” Harry chuckled and the movement of his hand resumed once more. Eggsy felt his toes curl at that.

There were several things Eggsy couldn’t help but notice within the behaviour Harry presented. He wasn’t sure if Harry was even aware, but his face was a perfect indication of his emotions at times, when he didn’t catch himself fast enough – and that played into Eggsy’s cards perfectly. Even today’s _jealous_ streak first showed up in Harry’s expression before it went straight into the voice, giving him out completely before he was able to switch back to his cold-hearted exterior.

Fine, mentioning Roxy was a bad move and Eggsy didn’t do it on purpose. But at least he learned another new thing about his soulmate which was definitely closely connected to another observation he made – touching.

Harry was touching him _a lot_. Eggsy was pretty sure it was unintentional and done somehow automatically, but it was _there_ and _frequent_. A simple touch on the small of his back when he was walking next to him, a brush of his hand over Eggsy’s shoulder or an elbow, a quick press of sides when they were close. Each and every touch was fleeting and over a bit too fast, but Eggsy noticed them immediately and started to reciprocate, waiting for Harry to realize it was normal and he could do that whenever he wanted to.

All in all – they were starting to get comfortable around each other and Eggsy counted it as a win. Maybe even that made Eggsy bolder and probably kind of impatient too, since touches were cool and nice and fine, but how about kissing being in order without needing to be reminded of it? And then maybe a bit more than kissing, maybe making out sounded good too – and well, yes, it did sound good, pretty awesome actually, no matter how it should have been a taboo for him, especially with Harry being a teacher. And since making out was just a small step from an actual sex, that could be on the list pretty soon as well, because hey, they weren’t kids, neither of them, so they both knew how it went, right?

And Eggsy couldn’t deny the fact he had been slightly curious about Harry’s performance in bed, sue him. He was a good kisser, that was a fact, and usually people who knew how to handle the beginning were pretty much skilled in the rest too, and since the night they slept together, Eggsy had those thoughts constantly on his mind.

“Haven’t your mother taught you good manners?” Harry’s voice interrupted his thoughts and Eggsy realized he had been staring into the wall for about five minutes since they got home and into the kitchen and he hopped on the kitchen desk while Harry had been making tea. It was almost domestic how Eggsy felt at ease when visiting the house for the second time only, like he was welcomed even after the unhappy morning. Especially when Harry took his bag and carried it upstairs without even asking, and then returning back several minutes later in a lot more homey clothes and not his suit.

Since they were going to spend the whole weekend together, Eggsy really thought this whole thing was going perfectly so far. He expected several hiccups along the way – as it always went with them and different opinions – but he was ready to smooth it immediately, so they would finally fall into rhythm that should define them both.

“Waste of time,” he finally responded with a grin and perched on his higher spot like a curious bird. “Is there one for me?”

“No, since good manners are waste of time,” Harry brushed him off simply, but the corner of his mouth was curled upwards and it made Eggsy smirk. He was standing close to the spot Eggsy was sitting at and with every other turn to get more things or return the ones he didn’t need, it seemed like he always got a bit more closer until Eggsy was able to touch him without needing to move too much.

Harry didn’t even flinch or froze when Eggsy leaned over, resting his chin on his shoulder, and calmly continued with his ministrations until he had both cups prepared and only poured hot water into them, sending a delicious smell through the kitchen.

“Are you going to drink two cups at once?” Eggsy teased him in a low voice and Harry chuckled while putting down the kettle. Both cups were black and quite simple, but they were matching and Eggsy found that strangely endearing.

“Maybe,” Harry answered nonchalantly. “I’m quite thirsty.”

“Are you now,” the blond leered and when Harry glanced at him, it wasn’t difficult at all to just reach a bit further and kiss him. He heard an appraising hum and then there was a hand on his cheek, only resting gently while Harry’s lips moved over his in a slow pace. Eggsy could feel the nails scraping softly in his hair how Harry’s grip moved to the back of Eggsy’s head, and _yeah_ , that was nice, very, very nice. Not rushed, not too needy, just… pleasant. Harry was cooperating without any negative movement and for a while it really felt like something they were doing daily with joy – just a calm, happy kiss from the togetherness.

“Aren’t you over quota now?” Harry asked when he pulled away a fraction, but his hand remained on the spot, caressing like it was completely normal. His eyes were half-lidded and Eggsy would even say _dreamy_ , but then again, this was Harry Hart, so maybe he was just indulging him while finding his own little something in it.

The touches were pretty nice though and for a while Eggsy wished it would go a little lower, over the mark to see what would happen. He still had a feeling it would definitely start something, he just wasn’t sure what, and quite frankly he still shied from it too before he would try to touch Harry’s mark first.

“Not at all,” he smiled, closing the gap again and even tugging at Harry’s elbow he curled his fingers around, positioning him right between his thighs so neither of them needed to strain their necks. Harry went easily, even tilting his head to the side so they could kiss better and it was a question of time before one of his hands fell on Eggsy’s leg where he grabbed him and pulled closer to the edge, pressing them together.

The kiss turned filthy sooner than Eggsy expected and suddenly he was gasping for air but refusing to let go while licking into Harry’s mouth, his hips instinctively rolling against him, only to be stilled by an unforgiving pressure that held him down. It made him groan, especially when Harry let go again, interrupting the kiss stubbornly.

“Harry,” the blond whined unhappily by the current events, not letting go of his elbow and his soulmate shook his head.

“Just slow down,” he said a bit too calmly for Eggsy’s tastes, like it didn’t affect him anyhow even though Eggsy had been panting like an old whore. “We don’t want you to bleed again, do we.”

“I feel _fine_ ,” Eggsy uttered stubbornly and pulled with more strength. “Please.”

At first it seemed like Harry was going to deny him once more, his face carefully blank, but then he stepped back and took Eggsy’s face to his hands and pressed their lips together once more. It elicted a soft hum from the boy, even though the kiss wasn’t as wild as the previous one, more like gentle and careful, and when Harry was slowly caressing Eggsy’s cheeks with his thumbs, the blond decided he didn’t care about the pace, this was _great_.

***

“Why are you always telling me to slow down?”

It was probably a weird question and a little out of a blue, since Harry blinked in surprise and the movement of his hand over the blond’s back stopped. They were nestled in the living room with Eggsy snuggled to Harry’s side while watching news on TV, and apart from the fact it had been fairly easy to get Harry here and snuggle to him, there wasn’t anything more than what happened in the kitchen.

The kisses were nice and they spent probably long at it since the tea got cold, but other than that – strictly PG. Every time Eggsy tried to move it under the belt, Harry stopped him, _slowing him down_ , and Eggsy didn’t understand why. There was a pretty apparent fact Harry didn’t mind. No matter how their normal conversations went, the intimate side – as much as they managed to get intimate – was mutual. The touches were lingering when they were kissing, gentle and caressing, even exploring, and as much as Harry acted all above this, he had a soft spot for having his lips bitten lightly and nails dragged over the sensitive skin on the back of his neck. They were small things, but Eggsy memorized each and every of them.

“Slow down?” Harry repeated, his voice a little sleepy. Eggsy thought he dozed off for a while there, since the movement on his back stilled about half an hour ago, but then it resumed again and he thought it was because he accidentally moved too much it woke the man up.

“Yeah, when we are kissing?” Eggsy responded while looking up, noticing the confusion in Harry’s eyes that slowly morphed into an understanding.

“I thought it was you who told me to do my research,” Harry chuckled and the movement of his hand resumed once more. Eggsy felt his toes curl at that.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he mumbled and more felt than saw Harry shrug, his body moving along.

“It means _overdoing_ it while the bond is settling down is _bad_ ,” came an answer. “Aka your nosebleed. I thought it would make you look it up as well.”

“Overdoing it,” Eggsy snorted and let out a sigh. “So let put us aside. When you have two people like super in love and all that jazz, they realize they are soulmates and then suddenly can’t get it on?”

“For their own sake,” Harry said calmly. “It saps a lot of energy, you get tired easily.”

“Yeah, that’s what Percival said,” Eggsy remembered with a huff. His PE teacher noted something about getting tired fast, especially when doing what he thought Eggsy had been doing with his soulmate before he realized it was Harry.

“He has an experience with that,” Harry hummed in agreement. “He and James had a rough start as well, but managed to get through it.”

“Yeah, only you are the drama queen,” Eggsy snorted and wasn’t even surprised when Harry pinched his side in a reprimand. “But it was just kissing. That’s not really… overdoing it.”

“Apparently it is,” Harry’s hand didn’t move anymore, but only rested on Eggsy’s shoulder now. It was a pleasant weight and gave out addicting warmth he curled under happily.

“Not today though,” the blond pointed out in a quiet voice.

“Not today,” Harry agreed and sighed. “It’s… surprisingly easy.”

“What?” Eggsy glanced back up at him. “Kissing?”

A nod.

“That’s not rocket science, Harry,” it made Eggsy laugh a little. Kissing was like, a basic thing for a relationship. And not even a relationship, it was just something you didn’t need a label for – you liked somebody, you kissed them, to try it out, to have fun, to show love, it never really mattered.

A kiss wasn’t that big deal in overall.

“I disagree,” the older man surprised him, so he sat straight to see his face better and Harry’s hand slid down, resting on Eggsy’s thigh like he didn’t want to break contact. “I think kissing is a very intimate and personal thing.”

“Is it?” the blond cocked his head to the side in curiosity. “You mean you wouldn’t kiss somebody just because life is short?”

“No,” Harry said simply. “Call me old fashioned, but kissing is something I’m not comfortable with until I like the person.”

Silence fell. Eggsy watched him for a while, waiting for him to add something, but when nothing came, he leaned over to Harry and brushed their lips together.

“Old fashioned,” he whispered to his lips and nipped on them a little, eliciting a sharp inhale at first, but then Harry slid arms around the boy’s torso and pulled him forward, onto his lap. The kiss was languid and a little different that the others and Eggsy wondered why. Because Harry basically admitted he liked him? That was why his heart was pounding so madly, why the touches burned more than usual, why the mark pulsed with life?

He couldn’t care less at that moment, not at the surge of massive energy that made him fist Harry’s shirt and press into him more, tongue curling, teeth clashing, and it was like Déjà vu from the previous day, making out on the couch with the urgency and heat rising. He could feel Harry’s hands under his shirt, contacting the bare skin on his back, and it was more, suddenly a lot more and less safe at the same time. It was wet and slick and a little out of control, and suddenly Eggsy felt the drain, the burning pain on the back of his neck tearing down his defences like paper.

He gasped, interrupting the kiss with a hitch of his breath, and Harry was staring at him with pupils blown wide and chest heaving.

“Slow down,” Eggsy wheezed with a weak laugh. “Fucking hell. You demon.”

Harry barked out a laugh and Eggsy thought it was going to be alright.

They were going to be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry, that was lots of kissing and basically nothing really happened, haha.


	13. Listening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So you feel the same,” of course the boy caught up at the worst thing he could. “Oh man, oh man, what should I do with you? First you admit you like me, and then you admit you’d bang me if you had a chance…”  
> “Oh please,” Harry rolled his eyes at the cheeky attitude that returned in full force. “Don’t fancy yourself, kid.”  
> “You fancy me enough,” Eggsy grinned and for a second Harry thought he was going down for a kiss, since his eyes fell on Harry’s lips, but then the boy stopped himself and huffed. “This sucks. Do you feel as bad as me?”

It was bad. Harry couldn’t point a finger at the exact moment when it turned into an unstoppable avalanche, but the last kiss was _bad_ and he let himself slip without even thinking about it. Hell, he probably lost it in the kitchen already; craving for more contact like something possessed him and perfectly denied his own words of _slowing down_ , since suddenly it was Eggsy who had to stop him, out of breath and ruffled and looking like sex. His lips were red and bruised, eyes almost too dark and breath hitching and it took Harry a moment before he realized it wasn’t him anymore, he was never like this before, never this out of control.

The burning on his wrist was on board of painful and he _knew_ it was wrong to push it, but he still ignored it in the living room like there were curtains over his consciousness, completely taken apart by the sheer proximity and pleasure that was stronger than the rest. He was slowly coming undone by every next kiss Eggsy initiated, dropping his defenses lower and lower with touches he reciprocated almost too eagerly, and it had to stop or they were going to blew it whole.

The mark wasn’t a joke. The rules weren’t there just to be broken. The whole thing had to be taken seriously and had to stay under control. He was an adult in all this – at least by his age – so there should be enough common sense to draw the line.

“At this rate,” Eggsy interrupted his thoughts with a deep breath, his body shaking slightly. “We are _never_ going to get to the second base, for fuck’s sake.”

Harry could feel the drowsiness pulling at his mind as well, his body heavy, but in a spasm at the same time, his hands refusing to let go of Eggsy’s sides. It was almost carnal, like his brain couldn’t really comprehend but the body knew, and he wasn’t sure what to do with such situation.

He let the blond lean down on him, snuggling to his chest like a little bunny, and the burning somehow lessened – like the contact was good, but without any vigorous effort to eat each other faces.

_What’s wrong with me anyway? I should be the one stopping him, not the other way around._

“Sleep?” Eggsy asked, muffled against his shirt, and seemed like all the strength left him completely. “I swear this make out sessions are evil. Hot. But evil.”

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle at it. The _make out_ sessions were bad, really, for both of them, and yet they always ended up there anyway, like disobedient pair of children. And Harry, against all his previous resolutions, just went along with it, letting Eggsy sway him this easily without any means to stop him.

“How long is it going to be so damn lame?” another question from the boy and he felt him moving a little, searching for more comfortable position. He was like a kitten, or a puppy, relishing the warmth, and Harry found himself responding to it by relaxing into the touch.

“I think it’s pretty much about how we are going to treat it,” he said with a sigh. “So far we are not really good at it.”

“And I think we are pretty much perfect at it,” Eggsy opposed with a snort. “I mean, you give me more strength and I’d have you naked in a minute.”

“Eggsy,” Harry groaned, closing his eyes in shame. There was an evident will from both of their sides – but he would never think Eggsy would admit it so easily. Harry remembered very well their initial antipathy, even after they bonded – first the noticeable age difference, then the simple fact they were pretty much enemies, and in the end that the attraction wasn’t there. Then something changed, apparently, and Harry thought there wouldn’t be a problem with them being intimate – after some time that is – and suddenly Eggsy was telling him in a straightforward tone he would do it in a blink of an eye?

“What?” another movement, probably when Eggsy was trying to sit back up, but failed. “Were you expecting it to stay PG forever?”

 _No_ , he would say. But it was like admitting he _thought_ about it, that he imagined Eggsy like that, maybe even under him, writhing and repeating his name, and that… that would be bad. He would never live it down.

“I guess not,” he decided to lessen the impact somehow, thankful his body was drained as well, not able to really act up while the boy had been sitting on top of him like a heavy weight. “But…”

“It’s fine,” he felt Eggsy shrug. “You still have time, since a dumb kiss is able to make us invalids anyway. Sex would prolly kill us or somethin’.”

 _Sex_. It was a pretty normal thing in a relationship – and yes, they _were_ in a relationship already, like it or not. It wasn’t a proper dating – hell, he probably should do something about it, wasn’t dating mandatory? – but they were already tip toing around each other like they should, kissing at times, _sleeping together_. They knew they belonged to each other, even though it was hard to swallow at the beginning – probably still was, at least for Harry. Eggsy seemed pretty alright with it, which was probably thank to his generation upbringing, open minded and easily adapted. Harry still had issues with it – the practical side at least, despite the fact he tend to get lost in the intimacy without problems.

He thought it would be more difficult than that. But in afterthought – if it was, the fate wouldn’t decide they were soulmates, right? There had to be at least _something_.

“Just saying I’d totally go for it if I could,” the blond noted, chuckling a little, and finally managed to lift himself up enough to watch Harry’s face. “Just don’t freak out, yeah?”

“Why would I,” Harry mumbled, trying to regain his balance. “It would be worse if either of us felt the opposite.”

“So you feel the same,” of course the boy caught up at the worst thing he could. “Oh man, oh man, what should I do with you? First you admit you like me, and then you admit you’d bang me if you had a chance…”

“ _Oh please_ ,” Harry rolled his eyes at the cheeky attitude that returned in full force. “Don’t fancy yourself, kid.”

“You fancy me enough,” Eggsy grinned and for a second Harry thought he was going down for a kiss, since his eyes fell on Harry’s lips, but then the boy stopped himself and huffed. “This sucks. Do you feel as bad as me?”

“Tired?” Harry tilted his head to the side and Eggsy nodded mutely, his eyes half lidded and somewhat hazy. He seemed to be in worse condition than Harry for some reason though, like he could handle a lot less than him.

“Could it be because I’ve… you know,” Eggsy whispered and dropped his head back on Harry’s shoulder, sighing quietly. “Kissed her?”

“Today?” Harry raised an eyebrow and forced himself to stay calm. No way he would… right?

“No, dumbo,” rude but surprisingly calming answer came. “That one time. We shouted at each other cuz of it.”

“Ah.”

“Maybe it’s still fucking me up?” an idea came and the blond sounded rather uncomfortable. “Because you seem tired, fine, but like… less. And you always have enough strength to move me around after and everything.”

“I don’t know,” Harry answered in all honesty. Maybe he really should swallow his pride and ask James or Percival about it.  

“Maybe the mark is like… punishing me or somethin’,” Eggsy suggested and his hands gently slid down from Harry’s shoulders to wind around his torso. “Since every time we kiss like that it starts to burn like bitch.”

“Mine does too,” Harry confessed hesitantly. “Burns a lot when it happens.”

“Maybe we are broken,” the blond laughed, but there was a bitter tone to it. “Maybe it’s cuz fate hates me with this shite.”

“Why would it?” Harry let his hands roam over Eggsy’s back in a comforting manner. “Aren’t you _the happy lot_?”

“ _We_ ,” the blond piped and it made Harry smile. Who would have thought Eggsy had such a soft side to him? He was so huggable at this point, and warm and meek.

“And I dunno. It’s just… I’ve been so fucking scared when it started,” he heard Eggsy mumble and it sobered him up immediately. Scared? Well, Harry knew there was this issue with him being a stubborn ass and refusing it – could it be so scary for the boy?

“The broken bond?” he asked uneasily and heard his soulmate hum.

“It’s so nasty,” Eggsy whispered. “So fucking painful. I thought I was going to end up the same way as mum did. When you said to _ignore_ it, I just… I couldn’t handle the shite.”

At that point Harry was genuinely so apathetic he thought ignoring it would be the best outcome for both of them. The twenty years old brat versus fifty years old bitter patron? That was destined to fail, no matter how hard the fate was trying to push it. Harry was sure of it – especially after all those experiences with the blond, the troublemaker, the insufferable kid. A sudden soulmate, the black mark, the burn, the pain, the shock – it made him sick instead of happy and he lashed out. At times he still felt like doing so, like stopping it, because it would be easier, but no matter how convenient it sounded, he just _couldn’t_ now. He _couldn’t_ hurt Eggsy more than he did, because it would be the most loathsome thing ever and he would never, _ever_ forgive himself. As much as the kid was insufferable when he wanted to, he was _his_.

Harry wanted him to be that way, no matter how scary it was.

“I’m sorry,” he breathed out tiredly. “It was impulsive and irresponsible. When it happened, I was angry enough to ditch it whole. It had been… a challenge.”

“Yeah,” the blond chimed.

“I’d never let you go through a broken bond though,” Harry assured him a little more insistently. “It would maybe take me longer if you didn’t push it, but… I’d never do that.”

No response, but Eggsy’s grip tightened. Harry didn’t say anything more, since no words could really cut it. He wasn’t even sure what to say – he knew what was wrong and what was desirable, and he was sure they were on the right path to the proper side of all this. But the worry Eggsy expressed… it was a serious matter, he had to agree. He knew Percival said not to overdo it, but it had been several days already and there had been literally no change.

“When dad died,” Eggsy’s voice interrupted the silence and sounded almost too quiet to hear. “My mom went bonkers. She completely lost it. I thought she was a goner for sure.”

Harry didn’t even know Eggsy’s father was dead. He never really asked or searched for it – although he remembered Eggsy talking about the boyfriend of his mum who now was in jail for being abusive. But he never even thought she was with somebody else because her husband died.

“I was four,” another notion. “I don’t remember it as clearly, but I spent most of the time with Chester, because she couldn’t handle herself, so they put her into a mental hospital for a while. Toned her down. The broken bond absolutely trashed her.”

“Oh,” Harry let out in a sudden revelation. So his parents were soulmates – that was where the fear from the broken bond came from. Harry always wondered why it scared the boy so much, but if he lived through it, it made perfect sense.

Harry never felt worse for almost imposing it on him again, but this time in a much more awful form. Living through it personally – it would probably send him – well, both of them – to the same place his mother had been at.

“That’s also why I was so fucking mad at you,” this time Eggsy’s voice was slightly stronger and he even managed to sit back up, staring at Harry with a frown. “You were so against it, like I was some kind of trash you never wanted. Let me tell you – I never really wanted it either, alright? I never wanted to have a soulmate, cuz it sucks.”

Harry blinked, but no response came to him. There was something raw about the boy, vulnerable and open, like he was telling him something very secret and a little dark.

“Everyone is like _yay, congrats, you happy lot_ , and it’s just so ridiculous,” the blond uttered coldly and really, Harry never knew? He always seemed like actually wanting it. This… was unexpected. “They don’t know, you see? They know fucking shite. Broken bond sucks, refused bond sucks, not fancying your soulmate sucks.”

“Eggsy…”

“And you made it even worse, you utter bastard, just so you know,” a push into his chest came as a surprise, even though it didn’t hurt at all. But Eggsy seemed genuinely angry and the sudden change of atmosphere was almost suffocating.

“You’d never let me go through a refused bond – well, after how fucking long? It wouldn’t be a week, would it. Months? Years? For fucking ever? So you could live responsibility-free until nothing matters?”

“That’s not fair,” Harry stopped the rant with a deep breath. “I’ve told you why-,”

“Fair,” he watched the blond bark a laugh and rub the back of his neck over the mark like it was bugging him terribly. “You know what’s not fair? Me doing all the fucking work around this shite. Initiating _everything_. Because you wouldn’t do a single fuck.”

“I brought you here,” Harry opposed tensely, his mind reeling. It wasn’t right, Eggsy wasn’t the only one who… or… was he? No, definitely not. Today was different; Harry could sense it inside of him. Different, his initiative, his leadership. Saying this to him wasn’t right.

“You want a fucking award for that?” a snort came and Eggsy looked peevish. “One night together and you were trashing around like a freaking kid, backing up from the arrangement because it wasn’t up to your forte without even _trying_!”

“That’s enough,” Harry caught Eggsy’s wrists, stilling him. “You’re tired and you need sleep. Arguing over these matters won’t help.”

“No, that’s because you don’t want to hear it,” the blond hissed. “Let go of me.”

“No.”

“Let go!”

Harry didn’t really know why he actually released the hold, but then Eggsy was off his lap and rushing through the living room like hurricane and Harry almost couldn’t catch up with him. Where did he get all this energy? He was ready to sleep just moments ago.

“What are you doing?” Harry demanded to know when he saw the boy reaching for his jacket like a stubborn idiot and then bending down for his shoes.

“Going home,” he informed Harry in a stern voice. “This sucks and I don’t want to deal with it.”

“Eggsy, calm down,” Harry reached out, but the blond avoided the touch with a snarl. A pang of hurt blossomed in Harry’s chest and it was so alien it muted him thoroughly, giving Eggsy an opening to actually flip him off and leave the house with a loud bang of the doors.

The mark pulsed like fire branded to his skin. His body refused to move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I don't know what happened.


	14. Done for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But how people felt during it… it’s rather individual,” she dragged her knees under her chin, humming thoughtfully. “So with your experience it’s probably one of those rarer cases.”  
> “What rarer cases?” he demanded unhappily and she shrugged.   
> “You haven’t started very well, so it may be fighting a bit with those attitudes of yours?” she offered. “I mean, like, you didn’t want it-,”  
> “I did.”  
> “Okay, then Harry didn’t want it,” she placated him calmly. “And you fought with him about it. You think that’s a good thing for the settling phase? I think not.”

It was ridiculous. Hilarious. Absolutely laughable.

It was painful. Sad. Terribly disappointing.

And also very, very wrong. Eggsy knew it was, right the moment he left the house and stormed through the streets aimlessly, just to be as far from the man as he could. Like any other second in his presence would burn him to ashes, corrupt his mind – he couldn’t hear any other complaint or an excuse Harry was so readily spouting all the time.

It was brash, alright. He was looking forward to the weekend together, he really was. But once they were talking about the bond, suddenly there was so much anger Eggsy just couldn’t keep it to himself any longer. Those things were still very much alive in his mind – Harry’s bad attitude, his utter dismissal, his obvious disgust with the whole issue when it started. Eggsy wanted to say it was better – there were touches and kisses and he actually brought him to his house to spend time together, but why? Because Eggsy was relentless and pushed him into it. Because he kept on nagging and nagging and Harry decided that fine, it was _apparently_ immoral to leave them without contact, so _fine_ , _let’s do this; I’ll live through it somehow_. Like it was such a fucking ordeal.

It shouldn’t be, alright? Having a soulmate was _not_ an ordeal. And as fucking stupid as it sounded – it was a goddamn blessing to have somebody so close to you, somebody with who you could share _everything_ , the same tastes, the perfect harmony.

And yet for Harry it was a hardship. Eggsy was pretty sure if there was a way how to take back time he would do it in a blink of an eye.

Was he really trying to convince him that he never done those things? Or that what he was doing now justified them? From the first fucking moment they found each other, when they realized they were soulmates, he was immediately against it. _Ignore it_. Was it the first thing that flashed through his mind? A loud and clear _oh no, please not me_? Because that was exactly how it seemed.

Fuck their age, fuck the status; this was _above_ all those unimportant things. They meant to belong. They meant to be together because fate wished for it. And yes, okay, Eggsy had been _terrified_ at first too. He had been scared shitless because he _knew_ how bad it could get, and because his fucking mark had been on the back of his neck like Harry wanted to hurt him instead of fulfilling the soulmate role, and because he felt sick for several days straight with no means to get better.

But now he had a soulmate. And he wanted it to be _perfect_. Because his parents were perfect – their bond was freaking amazing, okay? If his dad didn’t die… no wonder it made his mum lose her mind. And there was this fear of ending up the same; he never said there wasn’t – especially when Harry had been such a dick at the beginning.

He thought the bumpy ride they went through was just that – a past. But apparently it wasn’t and it bubbled on the surface like lava, because Eggsy had been in pain, cranky and tired, and the conversation just poured the oil to the fire, making him angry and simply spiteful enough to throw it to Harry’s face without mercy.

He probably regretted it as well. Or he was going to the next day, or an hour later, he didn’t know. When he was just running through streets with no real place in mind, nothing really had the right form or time.

Was the mark acting up so much because they were so fucked up? Because both of them took it as something they _had to do_ , instead of something they wished for? Well, Harry probably really didn’t wish for anybody anymore, if he ever did. And Eggsy got it, he really did – being used to solitude was quite difficult to overcome. Even his mum had troubles with it when she came back from the hospital, like Eggsy’s sudden presence and child-like needs were too much for her to bear. It took some time, and Chester’s help, but it got better, because they both tried their best. With Dean it was worse again, but it brought them closer despite the tough time they went through with him.

He stopped at the corner of some random street, not even bothering to look which one was it, and fished for his phone with trembling fingers.

Four calls. Five messages.

 _Harry_.

“No,” he mumbled to himself, hiding the notifications unhappily, and dialed Roxy’s number instead. He didn’t want to see him. He didn’t want to talk to him. He needed time to get himself under control, to lessen the burning that kept on spreading through his body, causing him uncomfortable pain – not sharp or unbearable, just very unpleasant – like an itch you couldn’t get rid of somewhere deep inside of you.

The closeness usually helped, he had to admit. Kissing made it worse though. At least the proper kissing on board of making out, which didn’t make any sense. It had been a week already, shouldn’t it be better by now? How long were they going to suffer? Or was it meant to be just… platonic? That was not what soulmates were about, was it. Or it could, probably, why not. Soulmates didn’t need to be together on a sexual basis, he was sure there were pairs like that. But he wanted to and Harry seemed like he didn’t mind the intimate part of it, so where was the problem?

“Eggsy?” Roxy’s voice almost made him drop his phone how she startled him. “What’s up?”

“Hey,” he greeted her quietly, turning towards the wall, away from passing people. “Sorry to bother ya, but are you busy?”

“No, not at all,” she replied with a worry in her tone, and he felt a bit better when he knew he didn’t need to pretend with her. He wasn’t alright. She knew it. “Want to meet up somewhere? Or stop by?”

“Are you home?” he asked hopefully. Being in a public place surrounded by constant buzzing seemed like a bad idea.

“Not yet, but I will be in half an hour or so. Wanna meet up there?” she offered without a single excuse and he hummed, thankful beyond words. He wasn’t even sure if he had anything to say, but he just had to do something. Even if it meant crying on her shoulder, which actually seemed like a viable option right now, with how strained his body felt and how his mind was jumbled.

“See you at home then,” she said gently and Eggsy finally started looking around for a clue where exactly he had ended up.

***

“So you’ve ran away,” Roxy concluded simply when there was nothing more Eggsy could tell her. He sat curled up on her sofa, a blanked was thrown over his shoulders securely, but somehow it wasn’t enough to warm him up, and he kept on sipping terribly tasting tea – for nerves, she said. The taste was horrible enough to forget about other problems, so he thought it kind of worked.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, staring into his mug with a slight frown.

“And you feel better?” she asked quietly and Eggsy shook his head. “Your bond is so weird.”

“Tell me about it,” he breathed out tiredly. He felt rather sluggish still, but the burning somehow lessened along with his anger, which was at least a small win. His phone buzzed from time to time with a new message, but he didn’t look.

“I’ve read that the settling phase is about a week long,” she continued in a lot more serious voice, almost the same she used when she was teaching. “Which would correspond with yours, right?”

“More or less,” he shrugged. Even that simple motion hurt a bit, as if his body went through a very strenuous exercise and the muscles protested loudly.

“But how people felt during it… it’s rather individual,” she dragged her knees under her chin, humming thoughtfully. “So with your experience it’s probably one of those rarer cases.”

“What rarer cases?” he demanded unhappily and she shrugged.

“You haven’t started very well, so it may be fighting a bit with those attitudes of yours?” she offered. “I mean, like, you didn’t want it-,”

“I did.”

“Okay, then Harry didn’t want it,” she placated him calmly. “And you fought with him about it. You think that’s a good thing for the settling phase? I think not.”

“Do you have something stronger than this shite?” he put the mug down bitterly. He had enough of the bad taste and all the talk was making him pissy. He knew they were probably the worst soulmate pair ever, but hearing about it definitely didn’t help – although he knew Roxy was only trying to make him understand. He wondered if there was anything to understand about it though, except the fact they simply sucked.

She gave him a wary look, but when his expression didn’t change, she just let out a sigh and disappeared in the kitchen, leaving him alone.

He seriously didn’t know what to do now – it called for a mind-bleach at the best. Just forget for a while, stop stressing about every little thing he did around Harry while expecting the worse. It couldn’t be healthy. The mark was probably a sign how much it sucked, punishing them so thoroughly. At first Eggsy really thought it had been merely his fault for kissing Tilde – or, to be completely honest, her kissing him while he did shite against it, so it was basically him kissing her anyway – but when Harry said the burning was the same for him, there had to be something more.

Could Harry do something… with somebody else?

That mere thought made his blood run cold. He didn’t know if Harry had been dabbling with somebody – he wasn’t living with them, alright, but there _could_ be a fuckbuddy, right? He was a pretty attractive guy, and charming when he wasn’t behaving like a freaking kid (although that seemed like Eggsy-exclusive behavior anyway), so why wouldn’t he be fucking with random people? Or just one person, without proper ties?

Maybe that was why their bond didn’t work? Because Harry liked somebody else, soulmate or not?

He took in a shuddering breath, the sudden image of Harry only _tolerating_ Eggsy because it was what had been expected, while pining after his beloved person hidden somewhere, was enough for him to feel even sicker and shaking and only barely containing the sudden rush of jealousy that overcame him.

 _Serves me right_ , Eggsy thought. It was him who proposed kissing anyway, and from there he found out Harry had actually been a decent human being and not just a strict fucker who tend to kick him out of his class while looking like he was capable of murder.

No, Harry had been… he was… _oh man_. He was nice. He seemed like a caring, smart and reliable person who liked his peace and quiet. Having Eggsy suddenly trashing this carefully maintained balance had to be a shock, so no wonder he started to push back.

But today… today he didn’t, right? Today he started with the touching all by himself. And he had been jealous of Roxy too. And he even watched The Pacific with Eggsy, even though he disliked war themed movies or TV shows.

Eggsy whined and reached for his phone with a huff. It wasn’t fucking alright though. Harry had to understand. And if there was somebody else his soulmate was interested in… it had to be dealt with too, somehow. The least painful way possible for all of them.

He opened Harry’s messages thread and scrolled at the beginning with a pounding heart.

**Harry – 21:20 – Eggsy, please pick up your phone.**

**Harry – 21:25 – This is not how it should go. We have to talk, you understand that, right?**

**Harry – 21:31 – Eggsy, please, just answer me.**

**Harry – 21:40 – I swear you’re making me crazy with this ignoring. At least send a text that you’re alright!**

**Harry – 21:45 – Please, be okay. Where have you disappeared to?**

**Harry – 22:10 – Okay, I understand you are mad, but things have changed. I have changed. I’m really trying for it to work out and as much as you had a point today, it’s already in the past. I’ve wanted to spend more time together and I was wrong about you before I got to know you, and I’m sorry.**

**Harry – 22:20 – Please, come back.**

“Fuck.”

_I‘m done for._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Well, Eggsy, my dear boy, you're onto something here.


	15. Solace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Aren’t you going to yell at me?” the boy finally said and Harry closed his eyes and let his breath out in a rush. He sounded meek, surprisingly so.  
> “Do you expect me to yell at you?” he asked - calmer than he thought he would - and heard Eggsy’s breath hitching on the other side of the line.   
> “Kind of,” came a reply and Harry didn’t like it. Was he really waiting for him to lash out? Well, probably no wonder, after all those things they went through at the beginning, but now? He couldn’t be more against it. “Not like I’d blame ya.”

A proper definition of a word helplessness was               1. unable to help oneself; weak or dependent;

                                                                                       2. deprived of strength or power; powerless; incapacitated;

                                                                                       3. affording no help;

 

Harry felt like all of those. He was distressed and helpless on board of desperation the longer the time ran without any answer from his soulmate. Not even a beep – nothing. His phone remained silent even after all those messages he sent to him, all missed calls and attempts to reach him, like a severe punishment he didn’t expect even in the wildest nightmares.

It would be easier, he thought, if the boy shouted at him through the line, or the texts, if he was genuinely angry and fighting over it, but he was silent and shut him out, ignoring him so well Harry couldn’t help but feel thoroughly disconnected.

And he _hated_ it.

After about seven or eight messages he left hanging in the air between them, not receiving any feedback that would help him to relax at least a little, he forced himself to drop the phone next to him and refrain from touching it again. His hands itched to do it, but he always pulled back fast enough, curling up his hands in fists and taking deep, supposedly calming breaths.

He was supposed to make things right. His mind was firmly set on that simple goal of changing his _comfort zone_ , to let Eggsy in, because that was how it supposed to go, and that was also something he found himself inclined to, surprisingly. The moment Eggsy left he felt at loss with scary coldness engulfing him, and not even the burn on his mark could help him change it. All he wanted to do was to pull him back to his arms and keep him there, and that simple knowledge was hitting him so obviously now he almost couldn’t believe himself not seeing it before.

The longer Eggsy was gone, the more he suffered through it. The longer he was being ignored, the more desperate he became. He paced, he sat down, and he paced again. He considered going to Eggsy’s house, but he was almost too sure Eggsy wasn’t at home, no matter what he said. That was also a reason why fear gripped him so tightly – with no knowledge where the boy could be and what was he doing – he left in pain and left Harry in pain too, and this situation only made it worse.

When the time reached midnight, Harry already threw up twice.

***

The distant ringing was awfully far from him and then got cut off suddenly, probably when he pressed something to stop it. It took him about five seconds before he realized he had been holding his phone close to his ear while answering automatically, his voice raspy.

“Harry?”

The voice shot through him like lightning and heart started pumping wildly, almost as if it was working out a heart attack. He scrambled upward to a sitting position – only vaguely noticing he had been lying sprawled on the couch until now with TV playing some nonsense in the background – and gripped the phone more firmly.

“Eggsy,” he managed to croak out and there was a surge of relief and dread combined, threatening to overwhelm him. He wasn’t sure how he even managed to fall asleep, but exhaustion probably did the trick. A quick glance towards the clock told him it was four in the morning and the sky was still dark.

He wanted to ask the boy about the condition, about his whereabouts, about anything, really, but words got stuck in his throat from the sheer pain of it. It was bitter but relieving, somehow, and he just wished not to live through it ever again. The obvious necessity of having Eggsy around was almost like a punishment, like it was telling him there was no damn way to fight this even just out of pride.

And quite frankly – fighting it was really something Harry didn’t want to do _at all_. Not anymore. Not _ever_.

There was silence over the line and Harry found himself keeping it with bated breath. He just couldn’t tell what was going to happen, what to expect from the boy, and for a moment it seemed like Eggsy didn’t know either, so the quiet stretched and filled them both.

“Aren’t you going to yell at me?” the boy finally said and Harry closed his eyes and let his breath out in a rush. He sounded meek, surprisingly so.

“Do you expect me to yell at you?” he asked - calmer than he thought he would - and heard Eggsy’s breath hitching on the other side of the line.

“Kind of,” came a reply and Harry didn’t like it. Was he really waiting for him to lash out? Well, probably no wonder, after all those things they went through at the beginning, but now? He couldn’t be more against it. “Not like I’d blame ya.”

“I’m not,” Harry assured him and realized his hands were trembling. He couldn’t still them no matter how hard he tried. “I’m not, so _please_. Just come back?”

“You really mean it.”

It wasn’t a question, Harry noted. It was a simple statement, maybe surprised one, but Eggsy wasn’t questioning him, it was more like he just found out. There was wonder in the tone, and maybe a hint of a slight disbelief too.

“I do,” he answered anyway and heard Eggsy chuckle, although without joy. It sounded a little broken.

“I’m sorry,” the boy said after and Harry’s heart almost stopped. Sorry? Was he going to end it? Stay away forever? Leave him? That possibility made him physically sick and he could feel his stomach clenching like a fist.

“Eggsy-,” he tried weakly, but a hum stopped him.

“Imma not saying it was without a cause, but I shouldn’t have left,” the next sentence gave him hope, although just a slight one. “And ignore the texts too. But when I read them I just couldn’t… it took me a while.”

Harry remained quiet, even though the words were fighting their way up his throat, onto his tongue, tingling there to be spilled out. But the fear of Eggsy quieting down again – or hanging up on that matter – was stronger than the urge to demand answers.

“I know you’re trying now. I know you do,” the blond started talking again, gentler now, seemingly continuing their previous conversation before it all went to hell. “So I’m sorry for ruining that attempt. Usually it’s your job after all, freaking out and all.”

Harry couldn’t help but bark out a short laugh. He wasn’t wrong, was he? But it was in the past and he _had_ to see it.

“Apparently,” he agreed softly. The tremors slowly stopped – or maybe only moved to his voice. He took a deep breath to still it somehow, and it sounded like Eggsy did the same on his side.

“Give me another chance?” Harry asked quietly. It was probably the most selfish thing he could ask for, but also the scariest thing – such decision was only Eggsy’s to make and he felt like he lost all the rights to talk him into it or change his mind. If Eggsy decided it was not worth it, Harry couldn’t do anything about it – unless both participants were willing, any other way of keeping the bond was unacceptable. Painful, but a dead end as well. He knew that.

“That sounds so cheesy,” Eggsy’s voice was cheekier again, like his old self, and it send a wave of reassurance down Harry’s spine. “It’s not like we are in a movie, yeah?”

“You never know,” Harry opposed with a small smile and felt the growing anticipation inside of him. There was definitely a _yes_ hidden in there, just unsaid out loud, and he couldn’t wait to hear it, to soothe his anxiety at least a little bit, and to resume the closeness again. He needed that little sign to advance it further, but he wasn’t willing to demand it.

He heard Eggsy shifting there, walking, probably, and doors closing, and couldn’t help but wonder _where_ he had been. With who? What was he doing until now?

“I’ll get to your place eventually,” a simple statement came, like it was no big deal, and Harry’s blood roared loudly in his ears again.

“I’ll pick you up,” he quickly offered – without thinking, really, it just shot out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He wanted to know where Eggsy ran to, how far and if he was safe, and if there was a possibility to check by himself, he was ready to take it.

“I’m not a damsel in distress, Harry-,”

“Let me,” he interrupted Eggsy’s resistance sharply. “So I know you’re okay.”

“You’ll know once I get to your place,” the blond pointed out. “It’s not like it’s a day trip or somethin’.”

“Maybe I just want to,” Harry didn’t let him to win now – and he was aware it wasn’t a fight, but he still considered it an important exchange. “It’s still dark anyway.”

“Yes,” Eggsy uttered dryly and Harry could imagine him rolling his eyes. “And you were sleeping, so you’re tired. Seriously, don’t sweat it-,”

“Eggsy.”

“Ugh, _fine_ ,” an exasperated reply, but Harry selfishly decided it was actually just an act from the boy, to seem tougher. Or maybe it was just Harry who grew so damn needy and overprotective – and really, wasn’t this the moment he was dreading at the beginning? The moment he decided that _yes_ , this was it, his _soulmate_?

Because it awfully felt like it.

***

He saw him from the first moment he entered the parking lot – sitting quietly on the railing with his hood up to partially block the rain that was coming down heavy. He had his hands in pockets and eyes fixated on Harry’s car, and for a moment he reminded him of a hunter watching its prey.

Harry didn’t bother with a proper parking and stopped right in in front of him, exiting the car before the boy could hop down and board it. He felt his body tensing by each step he took, shoulders going up and pace quickening, and Eggsy remained frozen solid on his perch like he couldn’t move.

“You’re going to yell,” he said towards Harry’s approaching form, and there was a slight panic in his voice, like he wasn’t sure how to react.

“No,” Harry refused that claim and reached him, stopping right in front of him with a frown. He raked over the boy’s features like radar, but when there was no sign of him being hurt, he could breathe a little lighter. The fact he was actually really far from Harry’s place spoke volumes, although he couldn’t tell who lived there, who Eggsy visited, since he chose rather vague spot where to meet.

“You look like you want to,” Eggsy opposed, but he sounded smaller and younger.

“I want to take you home,” Harry ignored the claim and before Eggsy could react he grabbed him by the waist and lifted him up from the railing so he could set him down on the ground. The contact immediately sent a burning wave to his wrist – but not a painful one, more like a notice, especially when his hands remained on Eggsy’s body, keeping the contact he craved so much.

“My mum-,”

“My house,” Harry interrupted the weak protest resolutely, “is home.”

He saw Eggsy gulp down, his eyes darken, and then he nodded and closed the distance between them, burying his face into Harry’s jacket with a deep sigh.

“Take me home then,” he whispered from there and Harry circled his arms around his smaller form and rather cheesily had to admit that he felt home already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Home sweet home.


	16. A Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I certainly hope that’s not news to you,” Harry uttered, giving it the cherry on the top without probably knowing, and Eggsy was close to the brain freeze.   
> “That’s totally news to me,” he managed to croak out, earning another sigh. “You bastard.”  
> “We should really do something about your sweet talk,” a nag landed easily and it made Eggsy bark a laugh with more delight than he thought he would be able to feel today. To be completely honest he expected some sort of awkwardness and maybe colder attitude again for a bit, but definitely not this.

Not sleeping the whole night sucked big time, especially when the car was comfy, warm and Eggsy’s nerves slowly calmed down enough for him to relax. Once he did, he fell asleep faster than Daisy after running around in a theme park, and woke up again in confines of fluffy blankets and soft pillows, only in his shirt and briefs. The room was bathed in shadows and for a moment he wasn’t sure what time or what day it was. He groggily sat up and looked around, immediately recognizing Harry’s bedroom with the heavy curtains and purple walls, and his eyes automatically searched for his soulmate next to him – where he found nobody.

He planned on talking to Harry after yesterday. Hell, he planned to talk to him a lot, maybe even talk his ear off, but apparently managed only to fall asleep and Harry had to carry him inside and even tucked him to the bed.

 _So much for the conversation_.

He remembered only a little from the ride – the warmth, the sudden calmness and that must have lulled him to sleep quite fast, not giving him a chance to deal with more than that.

The whole event yesterday was exhausting, he had to admit. He talked about it with Roxy – sort of – and then just mauled over his own brashness that caused the run from Harry’s house like a frightened bunny. Then the texts that almost blew his mind, topped with Harry’s sleepy voice in four in the morning, and he was seriously reeling, unable to think straight anymore.

And now he was here. In his bed. Half naked (damn, if Harry was undressing him, it was seriously a bugger he wasn’t conscious for it). Surprisingly rested and not even feeling that bad as he used to, so he took it as a good sign.

He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and stretched comfortably. The room was warm and cosy, the soft carpet brushing against his toes, and for a moment he seriously thought he would be able to get used to this. And, well, maybe he was going to, yeah?

 _Home_.

Harry said it with such seriousness that it made Eggsy speechless and craving to just pounce him and kiss him senseless – even over such stupid thing like that. Just being stubborn over the fact he would come for Eggsy instead of letting him go by a bus, being welcoming when hugging him, being all sweet and worried and maybe a little angry – yeah, that was it. That was the right thing that should have happened a long time ago, two of them finally in terms of what having a soulmate meant and acting accordingly.

He padded quietly through the room and opened the door to the hallway, noting the soft hum coming from downstairs – probably TV. He couldn’t find his clothes anywhere, not even his socks or pants (unless Harry decided to hide it from him under the bed where he didn’t look), so he walked barefooted down the stairs in slow pace, and through the corridor where he first peeked to the kitchen where he found nobody, and then shuffled towards the living room.

He found his soulmate sitting on the couch, hunched over bunch of papers he had been apparently going through, judging from the concentrated look on his face and a pen that was slowly browsing above the text, and Eggsy considered it tests from school he was correcting.

Well, he was a teacher after all, so this shouldn’t have been that big of a surprise as it was for Eggsy, seeing him actually working on something at home. He was looking pretty homey – comfortable clothes, his hair was a mess, glasses on his nose gave him a different look as well and Eggsy decided he liked it a lot. There was no strictness on him anymore, no barrier that would keep them apart how Eggsy was used to. He was open and welcoming and he didn’t even know Eggsy had been watching him from the door like a creep.

“Having fun?” he decided to interrupt Harry’s current focus, but remained in between the door, in a safe distance. He knew they were… alright, frankly speaking, but he couldn’t tell if it was fine for him to walk close and touch like it was completely normal. Maybe it was, he mused, but he still felt a strain anyway that kept him back.

He noticed how Harry flinched, seemingly forgetting he wasn’t alone in his house, and Eggsy immediately regretted the sudden intrusion. But when his soulmate looked at him through his glasses, the expression was peaceful and open, so maybe it wasn’t _that_ bad after all.

“Some results are so bad they are actually funny,” Harry replied easily and patted on a spot next to him, signalizing for the boy to come and sit there. Eggsy hesitated for a short moment, his bare feet getting chilly, and then forcing his body to move forward, tentatively reaching the couch and sitting on it – close enough to feel Harry’s heat, but far enough for them not touching.

“You stole my clothes,” he accused the man quietly while dragging his shirt lower to hide the briefs. There was no real need to be prudish, he knew that, but the sudden proximity and naked skin made him unreasonably self-aware.

“They were drenched,” Harry responded with a shrug and seemed rather hesitant, like he didn’t know what was allowed. Eggsy saw his hand twitch on his side, but didn’t comment on it. “I couldn’t possibly let you sleep in that, could I.”

“I don’t know,” the blond replied. “Maybe you just wanted to get me naked?”

Harry gulped down heavily and returned his focus back to the tests as if he was trying to hide his embarrassment.

 _Uh huh_.

“Sorry for what I said before,” Eggsy mumbled when the silence stretched between them again. As much as he felt like Harry didn’t dwell on it, it still lingered heavily on his mind like a dark cloud. “I know it’s different now.”

“Well, you never really told me how you actually felt about it,” Harry said without looking at him, but he held his pen tighter. “So let’s just consider it done, said and closed.”

“Yeah,” Eggsy hummed in agreement and circled his arms around his naked knees. “I just wanted you to know I’m sorry.”

“And I appreciate it,” Harry nodded and put his pen down again, turning towards the boy. His eyes were darker and face more serious and Eggsy knew he meant business. “Just don’t do it again.”

“I’ll try,” the blond smirked in a supposed tease, but when Harry’s face remained serious, he cleared his throat and nodded. “Look, I just wanted you to know that some things are important to me, okay? And they can seem stupid to you, but they are not to me, so-,”

“Like initiating things?” Harry interrupted him with a piercing look in his brown eyes.

Well, _yes_. That sole thing had been a rather low blow when he threw it in Harry’s face, but it was so damn true. Eggsy didn’t mind pouncing him when he wanted to, but from time to time being the one who was stopped just to be kissed out of blue would be nice. Like some kind of evaluation that he was important – or wanted – or loved, _take your pick_.

“Like initiating things,” he repeated firmly, not willing to back down from his demands _now._ Not after this fiasco, it had to have at least a slight impact.

Harry let out a sigh and for a while it seemed like he would shook his head and say no, because it wasn’t his style, or he didn’t like it, or maybe both and Eggsy felt the cold lead lodging in his stomach again.

“I wasn’t really aware I had that option,” Harry said instead, looking down at his hands.

“You kiddin’?” Eggsy raised his brows in honest surprise. “I had been snogging you all the time and you didn’t know you _had the option_?”

“If you think _all the time_ means two days, then yes,” Harry didn’t keep the nag to himself, of course, and his lips lifted in a small smile, _finally_. “And there is a difference, Eggsy, you know there is.”

“No, there isn’t,” Eggsy felt his fighting mood rising again and he had to bite it down forcefully. Harry had a gift to bring this up in him too easily, for sure. “If you want something, you take it.”

He noticed the sharp breath and a slight frown, and it seemed like they were going to argue anyway, no matter how they got burned the last time. All the time, nagging and barking at each other, because they simply couldn’t deal with the differences the other way, the better way-

“If I did, you’d be too sick to appreciate it.”

It took Eggsy a moment before he realized what he had heard. He stared and then stared some more, and the depths of Harry’s eyes were too deep and too never-ending for him to snap out of it easily.

If he…

If he took what he wanted. It would make Eggsy sick? Two of them kissing made them sick when they did it for too long. So Harry… wanted more?

“You’d totally bang me if you had a chance.”

It dropped out of his mouth before he could stop it and he absolutely deserved the eye roll that Harry sent his way. But really, it made sense, right? It was him, after all, who had to stop Harry before the argument. It was Harry who started with the hands under shirt and closer contact, and holy shit; he would totally go for it if it didn’t mean their marks would punish them severely for it like some kind of cheap ass chaperone.

“I certainly hope that’s not news to you,” Harry uttered, giving it the cherry on the top without probably knowing, and Eggsy was close to the brain freeze.

“That’s totally news to me,” he managed to croak out, earning another sigh. “You bastard.”

“We should really do something about your sweet talk,” a nag landed easily and it made Eggsy bark a laugh with more delight than he thought he would be able to feel today. To be completely honest he expected some sort of awkwardness and maybe colder attitude again for a bit, but definitely not _this_.

Maybe that was even why he told himself to fuck it and just pushed into Harry until he was lying on his back on the couch with wide eyes and Eggsy made himself comfortable on top of him like a puppy sharing heat.

“Does it mean I can still sleep in your bed?” he grinned at the man under him and yelped when there was a pinch to his butt like a reprimand.

“You were in my bed until now,” Harry shrugged simply, the initial shock apparently falling away, since his body relaxed and both arms circled around Eggsy’s waist. It was pretty cool and Eggsy felt himself melting into the touch. Harry’s body was firm and warm and he smelled really nice, so when he snuggled closer and rested his head on Harry’s chest, it threatened him with a terrifying craving that would never go away.

“You weren’t there though,” he pointed out and one of his fingers jabbed into the broad chest, just to be snatched away right after and brought to Harry’s lips to get kissed. The contact sent butterflies into his stomach in a crazy swarm and Eggsy whimpered into it.

This had to be a dream. It had to – Harry would never be so fucking sweet. Not to him.

“Yes, because it’s 1 PM,” the older man’s voice rumbled under him softly. “You were dead to the world, so I let you sleep. I even had to carry you from the car like a baby.”

“’m not a baby.”

“You certainly looked that way before,” a gentle tease. It felt so natural. It wasn’t like this before.

“Harry.”

“Hmm?” a hand travelled up his spine and back down in repetitive motion, and the fear multiplied like a disease. There was going to be a no. The touch was going to disappear.

“Do you like me?” Or he was going to wake up in Roxy’s place and find out it was all just a fantasy, and there maybe was going to be few angry messages from him, and that would be all.

“Of course I like you,” came an easy reply. “You’re quite lovable when you let people know you better than just as that rascal who wanted to rile me up.”

Any minute now.

“I like you too,” he whispered, because at least in his dream it could be perfect, yeah?

“That’s good to know,” Harry’s voice dropped even lower and there was a soft kiss in his hair. “We’re going to work it out, okay? I’ll talk to Percy or James about it. I’m sure it’s just something we overlooked.”

“With the mark?”

“With the mark,” Harry hummed agreeably. “How about you get some more sleep? You sound woozy.”

“I don’t want to wake up,” Eggsy replied unhappily. “You’ll disappear.”

“No, I won’t,” a negative answer. His dream was pretty insistent. “I’m going to stay right here until you’re going to be awake again.”

“Promises, promises,” Eggsy mumbled, but his eyes shut closed unmercifully. The softness of Harry’s voice and gentleness of his hands lulled him to sleep before he could make a wish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> If wishes were kisses...


	17. Far Too Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I mean, I get it why people like ya,” Eggsy positioned himself atop of Harry and his fingers traded through Harry’s curls. “You’re like a beacon, yeah? When something goes wrong, you’re a safe guard.”  
> “Where this speech came from?” Harry raised an eyebrow, noting how Eggsy’s lips were smiling. “You just woke up and you’re all philosophical.”   
> “I know, right?” Eggsy chuckled. “I woke up. You’re still here.”

Harry wondered if watching Eggsy sleep was becoming a bad habit of his, or if it just somewhat ended that way – with the boy curled in his arms, breathing softly, while Harry was wide awake and staring in fascination at the surprisingly calm face of his soulmate. He never knew there was such expression available for him – all he had seen involved a cheeky grin or an arrogant smirk and Harry really didn’t want to imagine anything else.

But now… now seeing him here, in his arms, looking content, it was the biggest reward he could ask for. He didn’t even stir when Harry decided to run his hand through the soft strands of his hair and down the back to the edge of his shirt. Their legs were already intertwined in the narrow space and Harry had been fighting with himself to keep his touches _above_ the naked skin of the boy’s thighs, no matter how tempting it was.

“Are you watchin’ me sleep?”

Harry barked out a laugh and his hand fell heavily on Eggsy’s waist, feeling him finally stir awake and snuggling closer.

“Cuz that’s creepy.”

“Sorry for not sleeping during the day like a vampire,” Harry replied quietly and accommodated Eggsy’s sudden need to drag himself even closer, almost atop of Harry like a small octopus.

“There’s no way you’re not a vampire,” he heard the boy mumbling against his shirt. “Suave as fuck.”

“Am I now.”

“All the time,” came a reply and then Eggsy moved again, tipping his head up so he could see Harry’s face. His eyes were still hazed by sleep, but his lips were curling upwards and it was one of the most adorable things Harry had ever seen in his life – along with puppies and kittens and stuttering first graders hiding behind their mommy’s skirts.

“Even when you’re angry you keep that posh shite up,” the next remark sounded a little accusatory, but Harry didn’t pay it much of his mind. He knew Eggsy’s offensive behaviour was very often his version of sweet talk, which was actually pretty hilarious. Harry never knew he would be understanding of that like he was now.

“You don’t even shout properly to get the anger out,” the blond continued softly, breathing out as if he was falling back asleep. “You raise your voice just a tad. And when you’re really pissed off, you talk quietly. So we know the shit is going to hit the fan.”

“Charming,” Harry commented, but had to admit Eggsy was right. He wasn’t prone to violence or raising his voice. When there was something wrong, he just dropped the tone low and quiet and it usually intimidated people more than a burning rage. Although the beginning of this soulmate business made him lose his wits several times and instead of a polished anger with calmness, he tended to be unreasonably childish.

“It is,” a yawn sounded and Eggsy stretched in his arms, eliciting something resembling a meowling. Or maybe Harry was already a bit too gone in lalaland of his own creation, comparing the boy to a sleepy kitten.

_Far too gone._

“I mean, I get it why people like ya,” Eggsy positioned himself atop of Harry and his fingers traded through Harry’s curls. “You’re like a beacon, yeah? When something goes wrong, you’re a safe guard.”

“Where this speech came from?” Harry raised an eyebrow, noting how Eggsy’s lips were smiling. “You just woke up and you’re all philosophical.”

“I know, right?” Eggsy chuckled. “I woke up. You’re still here.”

“I told you I will,” Harry pointed out gently and Eggsy hummed while resting his chin atop of Harry’s chest. His hair was really soft, Harry mused when he was dragging through it, making the boy almost purr at it. He was so pliant now it almost seemed unreal, but Harry loved the new side of him. He would never say Eggsy was capable of staying still like this, and yet here he was, cuddling and not even trying to start another war.

He absentmindedly petted him until he reached his neck, where he stopped with a deep breath.

The mark.

“Maybe you should try touching it,” Eggsy said as if he was reading his mind. “See what happens?”

“I’m still not sure if it’s a good idea,” Harry mumbled in response, shifting slightly. “Given what it does when we are trying…”

“To get it on?” Eggsy filled the sentence with a grin and Harry rolled his eyes and tugged at Eggsy’s hair in reprimand.

“Cheeky.”

“I could have said _fuck_ , I was being nice,” the blond pointed out and Harry couldn’t stop the groan. This cheeky brat…!

“Well, fine, not really fuck, maybe just make out,” Eggsy shrugged, but that sly smile didn’t disappear. “But we never tried to touch it, yeah?”

“You touched mine,” Harry opposed quietly. “On the second day, in the garden?”

“Oh,” Eggsy blinked, apparently not recalling he ever did. “How did it feel?”

“Bad.”

“Bugger,” the boy sighed and his body relaxed again. “I don’t even remember if I felt something or not. Was it painful?”

“Burning,” Harry fished in his memory thoughtfully. “Like a fire chain. Unpleasant.”

“Like it aches when we’re kissing?” Eggsy tilted his head to the side and Harry nodded slightly. It was…similar. Not the same pain, he would say, but then again, it happened so early in their bond it probably wasn’t very relevant.

“You want me to try it anyway?” Harry asked softly, his fingers hovering above the boy’s neck, waiting for a signal. Eggsy seemed to contemplate it and then he shortly nodded and started to sit up, pulling Harry up with him by his collar. He was resting in his lap like an obedient puppy, but his eyes were wide and little dilated, as if he was scared.

“Maybe some other time?” Harry offered, not liking the expression, and Eggsy shook his head and pulled himself closer for a hug.

“Just try it. It’s not like it’s going to kill me,” he whispered to Harry’s ear and circled his arms around his waist. “Hopefully.”

“Very funny.”

“I try.”

It took him a moment before his fingers brushed lower, to the edge of the mark he left there, and he hesitated.

“Harry,” Eggsy nudged him impatiently. It felt like an operation and he wondered if it was supposed to be this feared. He didn’t want to hurt him and he didn’t have a clue what it could do to him, or Harry himself. Trying the best of the fate was… dangerous.

When Eggsy nudged him again, Harry gritted his teeth and swiped his fingers across the black handprint as if he was playing an instrument, waiting for it to make a sound. Eggsy went rigid, but that was all – no vocal reaction, no movement to get away. He remained on a spot, completely still.

“Eggsy?”

“One more time,” the blond croaked out. “It… wasn’t bad. I think.”

Harry repeated the motion, this time slower, and Eggsy took a sharp breath and his body jerked away from the touch – just to crush his mouth against Harry’s in a desperate motion. He swiped his tongue over Harry’s lower lip, demanding entrance, and then pushed into it with such vigour it took all Harry’s breath away. It was only a second before Harry tilted his head to a better angle, lips parting and the tongue sliding into the other mouth easily in a messy kiss. He wasn’t sure if it was the mark doing, but his fingers tingled and Eggsy was so dominating he let himself to be pushed back to a lying position while letting him to ravish his mouth without a single break.

He felt Eggsy repositioning himself and then he came down with a hard roll that made Harry gasp in surprise, interrupting the kiss with wide eyes.

“You just didn’t.”

“I just did,” Eggsy replied with a breathless laugh. “Man, it’s fantastic. You touched and it felt like it all fits.”

“What fits?” Harry blinked, trying to still Eggsy from squirming above him, and keeping his voice down when the blond sucked on his neck instead.

“We fit,” came a reply. “Like a fuckin’ puzzle. It’s like you touched me _inside_ -,”

“What-,“

“Not like _that,_ perv,” a pinch to this side made Harry yelp, but a moan came next when Eggsy rolled his hips again mercilessly. “And it’s really hot right now, it’s like I need this to cool down.”

“I don’t know if that’s wise,” Harry opposed, gnawing on his lower lip when Eggsy decided to lick the pulse point on his neck. “If this usually makes us sick-,”

“I feel fine. You?”

Eggsy’s clever fingers were really difficult to ignore, especially when Harry wanted to make a point and they keep on traveling around his body like they were searching for the weakest spot. For how he felt now it seemed like he was weak all over.

“Fine,” Harry admitted grudgingly. More than fine. It was welcomed and he wanted it, but the more he thought about it, the more fear of it ending it badly was clouding his mind.

“Then let’s stop at the first bad sign, yeah?” Eggsy nibbled on his ear and _to the hell with it, I’m only human!_

“First bad sign,” he repeated to Eggsy’s lips and then his rational thinking disappeared.

***

“There, there, it can happen to anyone,” Eggsy patted him on a shoulder, all coo voice and a hidden teasing, and Harry shook his head.

“No way,” he stood his ground stubbornly. “I did it hundreds of times; this is not supposed to happen.”

“Hundreds!” Eggsy squealed in laughter and only by some miracle avoided the slap Harry wanted to land on his butt, so he just glared at him over his shoulder before getting back to the ruined pudding that was bubbling in the pot and smelled like a burned shoe.

Look, it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t difficult to make it if there wasn’t certain devil that thought it was funny to distract him while cooking, alright? So of course he burned it when Eggsy was sucking on his tongue like a pro and his hands were on inappropriate places.

And yeah, alright, of course he was glad no sickness came to bite them in the ass for the make out session on the couch, but maybe it should have, at least a little, to lessen Eggsy’s bold advances. Once he knew he could touch without retribution, he was unstoppable – and quite frankly Harry was also too weak to say no.

Which ruined the poor pudding.

Also, seeing Eggsy flaunting around the house only in his shirt and briefs was really unfair and Harry could not be blamed for the consequences.

“We are going to starve,” he concluded and put the ruined pot outside of the window while trying to get the terrible stench out.

“I’ll order take out,” Eggsy snorted, leaning against the door frame like he owned the place. “Pizza?”

That look suited him.

“Burger,” Harry opposed and loved the way Eggsy’s lips widened in a pleased smile. He filled the room to the brink and it was so bright Harry couldn’t stop looking.

“Got it.”

He was never going to stop looking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I'm already too far gone in a lalaland as well xD


	18. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh man, I don’t want to,” Eggsy grumbled, holding on tighter. “Can you give me some private lessons instead?”  
> “In physics?”  
> “Very much in physics,” Eggsy grinned and when Harry barked out a laugh, he almost got reduced to a begging mess to be able to stay and not leave to another cold classroom. What was the next one? Probably Tilde.

Eggsy never thought he was ever going to be disappointed by the bell that ended an hour long lecture. There was just no indication why would he dislike the freedom from sitting at one spot and staring at a teacher who bored him to death, while he could run away from the classroom, stretch his limbs and do something better for a change.

Well, not now. He just had to _force_ himself to actually get up and pack things against his will, and that was only because he could at least pad down to the teacher’s desk and bask in Harry’s attention. All the students were slowly passing him while he put his bag on the desk next to Harry’s bend form how he was finishing the attendance, and patiently waited for him to be acknowledged.

Harry didn’t say a single word during it, but his free hand sneaked around the boy’s waist and pulled him a bit closer, their hips touching. Eggsy just _hated_ the fact he had to go spend another several hours with different teachers while _his_ was entertaining somebody else without Eggsy ogling his butt.

Because there was much to be ogled. He was pretty sure Harry was turning around so much on purpose.

“Lunch together?” he heard the professor saying and hummed in agreement, snuggling a little closer to the warmth. Fine, he was away from it only for few hours, but it still felt like eternity – especially when he knew he could be curled up in his arms in the bed and touch whatever and whenever he wanted.

“I take it as a yes,” Harry chuckled and finally stood straight, pulling Eggsy into a shameless hug and kissing the top of his head. “Now run along or you’ll be late for your next class.”

“Oh man, I don’t want to,” Eggsy grumbled, holding on tighter. “Can you give me some private lessons instead?”

“In physics?”

“Very much in physics,” Eggsy grinned and when Harry barked out a laugh, he almost got reduced to a begging mess to be able to stay and not leave to another cold classroom. What was the next one? Probably Tilde.

It was funny, but even though it was only a weekend of which he lost a bit too much with his tantrum on Friday, it felt more like they spent at least a week together without any need to go somewhere out of necessity. They slept through most of the Saturday (or better Eggsy did, which was a shame, since the rest was more on a sexy side than the sleeping one), found out sleeping together was actually manageable even with Eggsy’s hugging mood that kept Harry up only for an hour or so, before he dozed off and woke up in the morning. They burned breakfast (correction: Harry did, but he blamed Eggsy for it, which, fine, he tried to suck more hickeys on his neck, but there was no groping or anything) but ate it anyway (burned toasts were mostly manageable). They lazed around for a bit, then went outside for a walk that turned into a run, because Eggsy was charged like a lightning bolt and had to get rid of it somehow, and Harry indulged him with more ease than the blond thought he would. They must have looked like two dorks though.

They got back, kissed some more in the bathroom because why the hell not, and then Eggsy got banished from the kitchen so Harry could actually cook something edible and not ruining it like any other attempt while the boy had been around.

Which hey, unfair.

The rest of the day was bit of a blur of a sleepy cosiness in the living room, curled up in Harry’s lap and enjoying the attention until they went back to sleep.

For school. Which sucked.

“Go now,” a slap on his butt woke him up immediately from his day dreaming and Harry was pushing him to the door. “I have another class too, we will talk during lunch.”

“That’s so far away,” Eggsy protested more for fun than for actually making a valid point (and it was a valid point, thank you very much), but Harry had none of it and only ruffled his hair in response.

“Evil overlord,” Eggsy entitled him anyway but finally left with a weary sigh. At least he wasn’t so freaking tired anymore, which was a nice bonus to this pleasant development they made over the weekend.

Hell, he was so smitten he barely even remembered the bad things.

Bad things? What bad things. Harry Hart was fucking perfect.

***

** **

**Eggsy – 9:55 – This is a poor substitution for what I have to go through right now.**

**Roxy – 9:56 – What, slobbering after your boyfriend while being stuck in a class? ;-***

Tilde’s lesson was dragging like a never ending torture. She didn’t look at him for a single time, not even during an attendance, and he thought he deserved it, so he let it be. Although, maybe, he ought to thank her, since her plea for forgiveness to Harry set things in motion faster than he anticipated.

**Eggsy – 9:57 – I’m dying over here.**

**Roxy – 9:57 – You deserve it. You made him worried, you made me worried and I’m pretty sure you’re making your professor worried right now too with tapping on your phone instead of listening to the lecture.**

Tilde didn’t seem phased by his blatant ignorance of the lesson, so he doubted it. He had to copy notes though, he scratched two words during the lesson and that was his maximum. Maybe he could ask her for scripts? Via e-mail. She could have bitten his head off face to face.

**Eggsy – 9:59 – Sorry, Mrs Moralist. Why did I make you worried?**

**Roxy – You left before I even woke up and didn’t write a single word, I thought you went to jump off a cliff.**

**Eggsy – 10:02 – Crap, I haven’t called you back?**

**Roxy – 10:05 – No, you rude fucker. I’m not a one night stand girl, get your facts right! I feel so violated.**

Of course he didn’t. Damn, he was so out if it the moment Harry picked up his phone and he heard the sleepy voice over the line, and it did things to him. _Things_. And he put Roxy on the low priority and that was bad. She helped him so fucking much, she was a damn saint. She even gave him booze. Although not much (stingy). He had to get her something. Like… flowers or maybe tons of chocolate. And a hug. Definitely a hug.

**Eggsy – 10:06 - *dramatic sigh***

**Roxy – 10:08 - *uninterested grunt***

**Eggsy – 10:10 – You’re so damn fine, Rox. So damn fine. I wuv you.**

**Roxy – 10:12 – Not buying it.**

**Eggsy – 10:15 – Awwww. Sorry, doll, I had a weak moment and called him and he insisted he’ll drive me home and I just forgot.**

**Roxy – 10:18 – You forgot because you had to take this photo?**

The photo was so random though. He had dozens of them while Harry wasn’t looking, but this one was pretty much conscious and he didn’t even fight over it, just shrugged and let it to be taken while smiling like he just swallowed a canary and people stared and Eggsy didn’t care.

Oh, they also stopped at a pizza place and neither of them liked it. Eggsy thought it was awesome, how their tastes were the same. Although Eggsy still refused to eat the pizza with pineapple, no matter what Harry said. It was just _wrong_.

**Eggsy – 10:20 – I actually took this photo on Sunday. Too busy snogging him on Saturday.**

**Roxy – 10:25 – That escalated quickly. Where is that build up anger you kept on spouting?**

**Eggsy – 10:27 – That was stupid, I know. He didn’t shout though.**

**Roxy – 10:30 – He snogged you instead.**

**Eggsy – 10:32 – Depends when :D But hey! I found out what does it do when the mark is touched – it’s freaking awesome and I almost came in my pants!**

**Eggsy – 10:33 – Wait, no, I didn’t have pants.**

He almost didn’t have the briefs either though. _Almost_. Harry had much more self-control than him.

**Roxy – 10:35 – It got the message across, dw XD That’s good though, at least you are not throwing up anymore.**

**Eggsy – 10:37 – Only rainbows :D**

**Roxy – 10:40 – You’re ridiculously so in love.**

Eggsy pressed reply and stopped right the same moment.

In love. Damn. Was he in love? His hands trembled slightly and he had to take a deep breath. He was content, yes. He was needy and craving the touches and the presence, yes. He thought about him for majority of the day, of course.

Harry was his soulmate. Of course he was fucking in love with him.

_In love._

The sudden realization changed _everything_ and it dawned on him like a fucking meteor hitting the Earth.

He quickly deleted the reply and started typing anew, his throat a little tight and fingers clumsy, but he pressed send without second thoughts and put the phone on the table with a shuddering breath.

It was probably bold. Maybe quite crazy too. Maybe he was going to get laughed at. Or maybe just slapped over the head, he didn’t really know.

But damn him if he wasn’t sincere right now.

***

**Eggsy – 10:50 – I love you.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> In the distance Harry Hart is momentarily choking to death.


	19. Macarena and Martini

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He just texted this to me,” Harry ignored him, shaking the phone in distress. “I don’t know what to do.”  
> “Oh sorry, I accidentally considered you an adult man capable of logical decisions, my bad,” Merlin raised his hands in a placating gesture. “How about you dance Macarena and drink Martini?”

“Professor, are you alright?”

Harry wondered if he was. He was almost at the end of the lesson and he knew it was a mistake to actually pay attention to his phone – or bringing it with him at that point – but when it was just a text and nobody was actually calling him and his class was paying attention to the assignment he gave them, he took a peek.

It was a mistake.

He read it over and over and couldn’t bring himself to stop, and the choking sound he made when he saw it for the first time brought the inevitable attention to him immediately. He just slumped against the desk, staring at the display wordlessly and rubbed his eyes.

“ _That little_ …” he breathed out, tearing his eyes from it to glance back at his class who stared back at him curiously. “Class is over for today. Don’t forget to fill the assignment for the next lesson.”

It was just ten minutes till the end of it; he didn’t bother keeping them here when he alone couldn’t even properly focus on what he was saying. When they started to disappear through the door and left the classroom empty, he hid his face in his hands and groaned.

“He’ll be a death of me.”

***

“But that’s so adorable~!“

„I _can_ hear the sarcasm,” Harry uttered dryly, pacing around the common room with his phone in hand. He wasn’t sure if he should have answered? Or wait until lunch? What would he say anyway? Act like he didn’t read anything or…

Eggsy confessed through the text and it was so disarming he could barely comprehend the gesture until he was here, in this room with Merlin who apparently had been thoroughly amused, and read it again out loud (“That’s so straightforward, Harry, who would have known you had it in you!” Merlin mocked him right after and Harry had an urge to chunk the phone at him).

“It was _intended_ ,” Merlin chirped back sweetly and offered a smile. “Who would have said you two are actually capable of falling in love? I thought we’re going to witness a murder at the best.”

“He just texted this to me,” Harry ignored him, shaking the phone in distress. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh sorry, I accidentally considered you an adult man capable of logical decisions, my bad,” Merlin raised his hands in a placating gesture. “How about you dance Macarena and drink Martini?”

Harry stopped in his pacing and glared at the Scottish man with vengeance. Helpful. So damn helpful. It wasn’t this easy, goddammit! He wasn’t even _prepared_ , he wasn’t _ready_!

It didn’t matter those words were constantly on his mind since he woke up on Sunday with Eggsy curled up next to him, breathing softly, and he realized he didn’t mind him _at all_ , that his presence was the best thing he could think of, and that he could spend eternity like that, just with them both in the bed, together, huddled close like chicks.

No matter it was there when he was making (and later on burning) breakfast and Eggsy was leaning into him, barefooted and sleepy while sipping his tea and humming something quietly.

That it was present when they were running under the still strong enough sun to warm their skins and make them sweaty.

When they were kissing lazily in the bathroom while undressing and Harry couldn’t get enough of Eggsy’s soft lips.

When they cuddled on the sofa and Eggsy was drawing abstract shapes on Harry’s palm.

When…

Harry let out a defeated sigh and put his phone to his pocket. There was no damn point playing daft or refusing the inevitable conclusion he was coming to.

Eggsy Unwin, that little shit he couldn’t win over no matter how hard he tried, that trickster who always played situation to his forte, that manipulative rascal who made the lessons with him hell – he got under his skin like this super fine sand on white beaches that you had _everywhere_ when the wind blew.

He was _there_ and it was for _good_. And Harry grew to appreciate it. He liked it.

_He loved it._

“I never knew you could be so expressive,” Merlin piped, shattering the inner monologue mercilessly and Harry quickly snapped out of it. “You were actually _smiling_.”

“Must have been your imagination,” Harry shrugged with a dry tone and glanced at his watch. It was almost lunchtime. “You have lots of it.”

“Unlike you,” Merlin shot back with a smirk. “So what are you going to do? Dance or reciprocate?”

“Eat,” Harry said simply and before Merlin could finish his mandatory eye roll, Harry was leaving the room with light feet.

He had a goddamn date to attend to after all.

***

Eggsy appeared about ten minutes later after Harry arrived to the cafeteria, curious looking and seemingly eager, and when he spotted Harry at the table, his face broke into a happy smile and Harry’s stomach made an excited jump.

Seriously, he was like a teenager, his body was out of control. Since the weekend he had been sappy as hell, attention seeking and touches craving, and it wasn’t even purely physical as he thought it could be at the beginning, especially when he found out the kissing Eggsy was pretty nice. No, it definitely wasn’t this. The simple urge to keep the boy close was for the plain knowledge of being there for him. Of being the one who can talk to him, listen to him, hell, even pampering him. He found himself wondering what he could do for the boy to smile, for him to be happy with Harry, and he already considered such affection as the last warning sign before being lost forever.

“What’s with the face?” the boy grinned when he crashed in front of him with his own lunch, and there was an immediate touch on Harry’s ankle under the table, how Eggsy apparently thought it was the best greeting he could give.

Wait, was he without shoes? Harry forced down the urge to check and only gave him a meaningful look, which made Eggsy smile even wider. Normally he would expect him to kick, but the meaningful rubbing up and down proved him wrong.

He was really like a pup.

“I have no idea,” Harry replied calmly, playing it as cool as he could. “But something probably is, since I got told it often today.”

“Oh?” Eggsy’s expression changed quickly into uncertainty and Harry almost felt sorry for him. “Who told ya?”

“My class, mainly,” Harry shrugged and started nibbling his food to hide the growing smile. “Merlin mentioned too. And then you. Guess there must be something true about it.”

An evident nervousness appeared in Eggsy’s body language and Harry wondered if Eggsy knew what he was trying to point out or if he expected something else. But judging from the fidgeting he did it probably hadn’t been the first thought that came to his mind, so Harry took pity of him. It was like punishing a puppy and there wasn’t a single reason why he should.

He pulled out his phone with still opened text from the boy and put it on the table so Eggsy could see it. Then he simply crossed his arms on his chest and leaned back to his chair, watching his soulmate silently.

Eggsy’s eyes skimmed down, up and down again. Then he cleared his throat, fidgeted some more and took the phone to his hand like he was seeing it for the first time and needed to study it.

“You need a better phone,” he said after and Harry bit down the laugh.

“This one can read texts just fine,” he didn’t give him an opening and Eggsy traced the edge of the device with his fingers.

“Spur of a moment,” he commented with a deep sigh. “You know how it is.”

“Do I.”

For a moment it looked like Eggsy was going to play the game with him, but then he put the phone back at the table and leaned closer to Harry, dropping his voice low.

“Please, tell me you’re not angry over it,” he pleaded with puppy eyes worth an award, and Harry was pretty sure _if_ he had been angry, this would successfully dissipate it. He held the stony face though. “I just felt like I should…”

“Well,” Harry started sternly and Eggsy’s face fell a little at it. “I should be. I read it in the middle of my class and couldn’t possibly continue teach for the rest of it.”

“Yikes.”

“It was actually pretty difficult to pay attention to anything else,” Harry continued as unattached as he could. “Until you showed up, of course.”

“Of course,” Eggsy piped and Harry waited for him to catch up. It took him about five seconds before he shot his head back up and his eyes were wide. Harry allowed himself to smile and then barked out a laugh when he saw how Eggsy’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“You scared me, you dipshit,” the foot was back on Harry’s ankle, but then it travelled higher, rubbing against his shin. “I thought you’re going to tell me to stuff it-,”

“Of course not,” Harry sighed and moved his own leg to the side so Eggsy could reach better. He earned a sly smile for it. “But you caught me off guard.”

“Mmm, really,” the blond purred. “Not used to people telling you they love you?”

“Not cheeky little shits like you,” Harry shot back without hesitation and Eggsy grinned, his body relaxing into an easy, comfortable stance Harry got used to during the weekend.

“Well, you better get used to it then,” Eggsy told him in a serious voice. “Because I’m going to tell you _a lot_. Since I-,”

“Eggsy, no.”

“Love-,”

“Eggsy.”

“-you a lot, what?” the shit eating grin made Harry groan more than the words alone. When the foot reached his inner thigh, Harry gave up on eating completely.

***

“I’m not going to say it didn’t shock me.”

“I appreciate your honesty,” Harry supplied unhelpfully and Percy kept on staring at him with an unreadable expression. Harry was just glad Percy’s class had been busy playing football, since he needed him for himself for a bit. Having an audience for this kind of conversation seemed rather excessive.

“A student.”

“Yes.”

“He’s like… 30 years younger,” another jab and Harry nodded. He didn’t even let it got to him anymore, and he wondered if it was a bad thing. Maybe he just fell too deep and Eggsy had him wrapped successfully around his little finger? “How is it even _like_?”

“Don’t let me started,” Harry chuckled. “I’m pretty sure your own experience with James was similar.”

“But he’s just few years older,” Percy pointed out and his shoulders slumped a little. Harry knew James was out of town _again_ after very short stay here and as much as Percy was acting like it wasn’t big deal, it was apparent he missed him. He wondered if James knew – or if he reaped the benefits right after he returned. “But I get your point. James is like a big dog. I assume Unwin has those puppy eyes equally lethal.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Harry hid his smile. So far Eggsy didn’t use it for anything bad though and Harry just found it ridiculously attractive – even if a little silly.

“I’ve meant to come to ask you sooner, but things got complicated over these few days,” he offered meekly to get down to business before Eggsy’s last lesson would end. He wanted to see him before he would take off home – although their conversation about Eggsy spending time in his own house with his mother had been rather fruitless. “But it’s mostly about the marks.”

“What about them?” the PE teacher raised an eyebrow. “Something is wrong?”

“Have yours burned during the beginning of the bond?” Harry asked straightforwardly and Percy contemplated it a bit. Topics about this particular theme varied a lot on the internet, so Harry thought Percy was more reliable source for this kind of information.

“At the very beginning, yes. But you could soothe it while touching it,” he shrugged after, confirming Harry’s suspicion. Too bad they were too stubborn to actually try something like that before this weekend. It could have safe them – and especially Eggsy – a lot of suffering. “James got really into it I had to keep him away like a plague.”

“Overstimulation?” Harry smirked knowingly, but Percy’s reaction surprised him, since his eyes widened a little.

_A touchy subject?_

“Not really?” he blinked in confusion. “He was just really handsy. Like a proud father of a child, except it was just a stupid handprint over my belly.”

 _A belly, huh_. Percival seemed to realize what he had said right after, but only cleared his throat awkwardly and remained silent. _Who knows where James’ mark is._

“So when you touch his mark, or he yours, _nothing_ happens?“ Harry tilted his head to the side questioningly and Percy gave out a tiny shrug, apparently glad Harry didn’t breach the “belly mark” subject.

“Not really, no,” he concluded simply. “It does to you?”

“Sort of.”

“Is it painful?” there was a worry in his voice and Harry was glad it wasn’t the case.

“Quite the opposite,” he shook his head. The first time Eggsy attempted the contact, Harry was left panting like a cheap whore while Eggsy looked a bit too smug for his tastes (“Liked it?” he asked cheekily, circling around the mark like a vulture with his fingers. “The old fashioned way is better,” Harry retorted, trying to keep some dignity intact and Eggsy proceeded to lick the mark instead. Harry almost kicked him off the couch). “I thought it’s normal?”

“If it is, I haven’t really read anything similar about it,” Percival opposed in wonder. He seemed genuinely curious and Harry thought it was probably a bad idea to tell him about it. “Seems like your marks are like… super oversensitive?”

“You think so?”

“Well, when James touches mine,” Percy motioned vaguely. “There is… tingling feeling, sort of. Nothing strange or fancy, just like you’re charged and your soulmate is bit of a catalyst. But it’s weak, so it just gives you the feeling it’s there without acting up.”

“Oh.”

“Yours acts up though,” Percy gestured towards him and seemed thoughtful. “Damn, you two are seriously the weirdest soulmates I’ve ever heard about.”

“I try not to think about it,” Harry offered and Percy gave him a slight nod.

“Just out of the seriousness,” the PE teacher stepped a bit closer. “How are you holding up? The last time I saw you, you two seemed like being together is the worst thing in the world.”

Harry didn’t blame him for thinking that. Everybody probably thought so for the first week, and Harry lived through it. But now… now it was different. _How_ he was going to make Eggsy to stay at his own home for today was a mystery even to him.

He smiled at Percy anyway.

“The worst thing in the world is being without him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> There is a big NO WAY threatening to smack Harry in the face.


	20. Goodnight, love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Being pouty won’t help you,” he could hear in Harry’s voice that the man was smiling now, making it lighter, and Eggsy wondered if it helped or if he was too stubborn to let the sudden happiness go, even for a bit, selfishly clinging to a one really nice thing that happened to him after all these years.  
> “No, probably not,” he admitted quietly, tilting his head up. “Since you’re an ice queen.”  
> “Only once per month,” Harry indulged him with a small laugh and ruffled his hair. “C’mon. Let me drive you to your mother’s place.”

“No way.”

“Eggsy, for real,” Harry let out a long sigh and stopped with buttoning up his coat. “It’s just one night.”

The corridor was already pretty silent and Eggsy thought it mocked him with it, echoing perfectly the unhappiness that came with Harry’s simple statement of them not spending this night together.

 _It sucked_.

“But why?” Eggsy remained stubborn. It was so fine now, perfect even, why would Harry decide it needed a break? Unless he didn’t think the same, of course. But judging from his actions… there was no way, right? _No way_.

“Because your mother hasn’t seen you in several days,” a lame argument fell from Harry’s lips and Eggsy pondered the idea of kicking his shin. His mum? She knew what was going on, she even encouraged him to spend time with his soulmate (or better she was angry when he didn’t), so why was he making an issue out of it?

“And also because I need to leave the city for today.”

“Leave?” Eggsy repeated with a blink. Leave where? When was he coming back?

Harry nodded quietly and stepped closer to the boy, gently touching his shoulder in a placating gesture. His hand was warming him even through the layers of clothing and he had to literally stop himself from whining about the fact he was supposed to let go of that.

_Man, I’m like a jealous girlfriend or what. Or maybe an addict?_

“I’ll be back tomorrow evening,” Harry assured him, his thumb drawing circles on Eggsy’s shoulder. “Stop pouting.”

“I don’t pout,” Eggsy informed him sternly and Harry chuckled, his hand changing placement to his face, brushing over his lips gently. It was tender and loving and Eggsy wanted to melt.

“Yes, you do,” he teased easily. “Want me to drive you home?”

 _Home_.

“Your home,” Harry added like he realized the same thing Eggsy did at the same time, and it made the blond sigh and take a step closer so he could bury his face into Harry’s coat, snuggling into it. Harry’s arm immediately circled around his shoulders, pulling him tighter to him, and he could feel him kissing his head.

Fuck, they were so sickeningly ridiculous here. He was so glad there was nobody who could see them, or Eggsy would never live it down.

“You’ll be back tomorrow,” he made sure and heard Harry hum above him. “For sure.”

“For sure.”

“You’re still heartless.”

“Being pouty won’t help you,” he could hear in Harry’s voice that the man was smiling now, making it lighter, and Eggsy wondered if it helped or if he was too stubborn to let the sudden happiness go, even for a bit, selfishly clinging to a one really nice thing that happened to him after all these years.

“No, probably not,” he admitted quietly, tilting his head up. “Since you’re an ice queen.”

“Only once per month,” Harry indulged him with a small laugh and ruffled his hair. “C’mon. Let me drive you to your mother’s place.”

“Are you in a hurry?” Eggsy asked and clutched the coat tighter.

“I have about an hour before I need to leave,” Harry checked his watch quickly and it made Eggsy more disappointed than he thought it would. He was really too far gone in this shite he had no means to get out of it. Getting bitter over such small, stupid thing like one fucking night apart was so _lame_.

“Eggsy.”

“I know,” Eggsy nodded, forcing down the grabby hands and childish possessiveness that was growing in him greedily during the weekend with an alarming speed. Stopping it now was fucking hard.

He stole small kiss anyway before stepping away from the man, swinging on his feet to hide the slight tremor that was starting to creep to his limbs from the urge to touch again.

“Don’t let me keep you,” he smiled as honestly as he could and even though Harry looked rather unconvinced, he still took off to the parking lot with the blond following him like a deadly shadow.

If this was what meant to be in love, Eggsy couldn’t say it was easy.

***

“Eggsy!”

“Since when they let out angels to the earth?” he faked an absolute wonder and a small blond girl giggled when she hugged him like she hadn’t seen him for ages.

Well, that was almost true.

“Oh? I haven’t expected you to be home so early,” his mum peeked from the kitchen, but there was an apparent relief in her face when she dropped all she was doing and came to the hallway to hug him as well. She smelled like blueberries and sugar and Eggsy didn’t know how much he missed that until now.

“Something happened?” she immediately asked, her eyes full of worry, and Eggsy quickly shook his head and nodded towards the kitchen with Daisy in his arms.

“Nothin’ happened, don’t worry,” he assured her when she finally moved back to the sweet warmth coming from the stove. He put Daisy back down when she pointed at her favourite drawing spot, and she immediately bounced back to the papers all over the floor where she had been creating her wonders, and showed Eggsy _the best ones_.

It was mostly horses and unicorns and he praised her happily. He really missed this little bugger – it was so easy to forget in the sweet embrace of his new life about everything else, it was almost scary.

“You texted me not to expect you and it sounded like a long term event,” his mum commented from the stove, between tasting the soup and adding spice to it. There was a cake on the counter, slowly cooling off and smelling delicious. “So I assume something _had to_ happen.”

“Nothing _life threatening_ at least,” Eggsy offered a small smile and stood next to her with a sigh. “He’s just out of town for tonight.”

“Ah,” she voiced out like she understood, but then her eyes skimmed to him in a curious glance. “And?”

“And I’m sad, of course,” Eggsy didn’t feel pretending was wise, so he just shrugged like it was no big deal (it was a big deal, a huge deal, gigantic one, alright?). “But he said I’m pouting and I’m not, so whatever, I can suck it up for a day.”

She watched him for a while like she was thinking about it and then got back to her cooking, humming quietly.

“It’s like something is missing, right?” she asked after a moment and Eggsy silently nodded. It wasn’t just the fact Harry was nowhere near him. It was something more inner, more intimate, like part of him wasn’t where it was supposed to be. The more he thought about it, the emptier it felt and he couldn’t help but wonder if Harry thought about it the same.

With lots of things happening lately he thought he did. It was like being connected with more than just a mark, and Eggsy could tell it was making him sappy and rather clingy, but he couldn’t help himself. When Harry was close, it was like he begged him to keep touching, even though he didn’t say a word.

“There are bonds that run very deep,” his mum interrupted his thoughts quietly. “And then there are shallow ones. For show, I think, only giving the possibility.”

“Like they don’t spend time with each other?” he blinked in surprise. He thought having a soulmate automatically meant being together. Or was it not the case?

“They prefer only meeting regularly, but they don’t feel like you do now when they are not together,” she nodded, her look a bit distant. “I have a friend like that. She is with her soulmate only about a week in a month. They are not married or anything and they prefer to be this way.”

“I’d go crazy,” Eggsy uttered. They could have ended that way with Harry, he realized. They could have been those two people seeing each other out of necessity, but otherwise not really feeling the need to do anything else about it. Harry seemed like preferring it at the beginning. If Eggsy hadn’t been stubborn, would it end that way? That sole image of this happening after all they went through – unimaginable. He would definitely lose it after a second day and it wouldn’t even be the mark’s doing. He grew to adore the man and it felt like addiction – to praise, to touch, to gentle loving and sweet words. _Nobody_ made him feel that way before.

“As would I,” his mum smiled sadly and Eggsy visibly recoiled. It wasn’t fair talking to her about his bond when hers was severed. He knew how she suffered, and it always made him scared when he thought back about it – reminding her of it wasn’t his intention at all. Not ever.

He touched her shoulder gently, offering a pathetic support, and she patted his cheek in return.

“When your dad was still alive,” she started with surprising ease, “and we had to stay apart, it was always terribly depressing, especially when we were shortly after the bonding. I always cried myself to sleep when he couldn’t be with me and my parents never really understood.”

Eggsy knew his grandparents weren’t soulmates, so he kind of understood why it seemed strange to them. He could say having a soulmate was a different kind of love – although he never really had been in love before Harry. All the girls he had been dating were… just that. Somebody he spent time with, somebody not so completely relevant, not so important – as much as heartless it sounded. Like breaking it up was always easy and affection fleeting.

But with his soulmate it burned with intensity and it filled him to the brink. As much as the mark was acting up at the beginning, he could tell the way he felt _now_ wasn’t its doing at all. It wasn’t some weird tattoo making him love the man so dearly. It wasn’t just _fate_ that pushed them together because why the hell not – it was gravity. Eggsy _always_ gravitated towards Harry Hart. He _always_ wanted him to pay Eggsy his attention, albeit the bad way, he knew. But he was trying to pull him closer; he was trying to make him mad enough so he would actually break the distance. And maybe that was it. Maybe Eggsy secretly knew Harry belonged to him, so he wanted him to mark him as his, because Eggsy couldn’t do it alone.

A _rivalmance_ , Roxy said that night when Eggsy ran away from Harry’s house. A rivalmance that turned sappy and colourful, and also _goddamn lucky_.

“No soul bond is the same,” his mum pointed out softly when she looked at him and apparently saw something that made her chuckle. He was sure the expression he wore must have been worth a good laugh. “Some are intense, some are not. Mine was strong and deep and that was why I took it so badly when he died.”

Eggsy nodded and stepped closer to lean to her, offer a contact. He remembered his parents as the perfect example of _the happy lot_. In love, absolutely and blissfully happy. Of course he tended to make it prettier – they had their flaws, their bad moods and quarrels, but in overall they were his family and he knew they were perfect.

“What I mean to say,” she sighed into his chest when he hugged her and swayed her from side to side. “Is that your bond is precious and I’ll always support you. I know you miss him.”

“I know you miss him too,” Eggsy responded gently and when a sob came he only hugged her tighter.

***

It was 2 AM and he couldn’t sleep. He checked his phone about ten times by now, always with a thumb hovering above Harry’s contact, but he never clicked it. He could fucking do it for one day without the guy.

When he checked his phone for the eleventh time, he couldn’t stop the groan.

_Fuck, I’m totally the girlfriend in this relationship._

**Eggsy – 2:04 – I hate you so much rn.**

No, he didn’t. Well, yes, he did, a bit for the guy leaving him in such great period of time with them slowly getting together. Cruel, so cruel. Or was it a test?

Fuck, it was definitely a test and he blew it by breaking the silence first.

**Harry – 2:05 – I’ll show you the message thread for future references. The last one was “I love you” and right the one after “I hate you”, I feel like you need to get your facts right, love.**

Eggsy blinked when the message came. Harry hadn’t been sleeping? Or did he wake him up?

**Eggsy – 2:06 – Why are you not sleeping? Naughty.**

**Harry – 2:07 – Probably for the same reason you’re still awake.**

**Eggsy – 2:08 – Touching yourself while thinking about me?**

He snorted at his own answer and could totally imagine Harry rolling his eyes while reading it. But hey, where would be the fun in that if he didn’t tease him a bit? He could only wonder if he was really in bed right now or if he was still somewhere with other people. Doing… who knows what.

“Without me,” he mumbled and cringed at it. Good thing he couldn’t hear him.

**Harry – 2:10 – Thinking of touching you instead. But nicely put.**

“Damn,” he barked out a laugh. “Smooth as fuck.”

**Eggsy – 2:11 – I try :D**

**Harry – 2:12 – Everything alright on your end?**

**Eggsy – 2:13 – Cold, but bearable.**

**Harry – 2:15 – Cold?**

**Eggsy – 2:16 – Duh. Without you.**

**Harry – 2:19 – Just sleep, Eggsy. Only few hours more.**

Few hours, yeah. Felt like eternity though, especially when he couldn’t sleep no matter how hard he tried to. He counted sheep, he drank milk with honey, he even considered going out for a run to get tired enough. Just thinking of Harry’s warmth was making the longing even worse and he grumbled unhappily.

**Eggsy – 2:21 – Can I call you? To say good night or somethin’ equally cheesy. Feels like hearing your voice would help, y’know.**

**Harry – 2:25 – Rather not.**

“Rather not?” he repeated with a frown. _Stingy_. What was he even doing there? He didn’t say where or with whom was he leaving the city and now when Eggsy was thinking about it, the old worry about Harry’s significant other that could have been somewhere around surfaced in his mind like cancer.

But… Harry wouldn’t do that, would he? He wouldn’t lie about something this important. He wouldn’t-

Another message cut off his thoughts forcefully and he opened it with a deep breath, suddenly uneasy and nervous.

**Harry – 2:30 – I’m already keeping myself here by the power of sheer will. If I heard you, nothing would stop me from catching the earliest flight to get to you as soon as possible. Be good, love, and sleep well. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise.**

“Fuck.”

_Goodbye, sleep._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Smooth af.


	21. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Harry, stop being difficult,” she hissed at him and he was pretty sure it was probably as bad for her as it was for him. Both of them weren’t on good terms with their father, so when he passed away, Harry knew even Silvia refused to shed a tear. Nor did he.  
> He considered this whole show absolutely degrading.   
> “Is your imaginary wife waiting for you at home with dinner? Because in other case, you can devote one more day of your precious free time to your own damn family.”

“You look like a zombie.”

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, but said nothing. He slept maybe an hour or two if he was feeling generous, so today was like a punishment to stay awake. Not even the third coffee he got helped, if anything, it made him even more sluggish.

“Also, the notary called he’s not going to make it today,” another speech came his way and he finally looked up to the woman in a business costume, looking strict and a little fed up.

Well, weren’t they all.

“What do you mean, not going to make it today?” he blinked, the consequences of such information slowly getting to him. If the notary wouldn’t arrive today, Harry would have to spend another night here, and that was not going to happen, _ever_.

“I mean he’ll probably come tomorrow,” the woman uttered dryly and sometimes he wondered if they were really related. She looked so disgusted with life he just couldn’t imagine him being the same, although he had to admit there were some similar traits as well.

Or maybe he was without realizing it, which sounded painful for his surroundings, because he definitely suffered in her presence.

“I don’t have time until tomorrow,” he informed her with a frown. “If it’s not going to get on board, I’m leaving today.”

“No, you’re not,” she refused coldly and pushed away the brown lock of her hair. “I don’t care you thought our father was a brute, you’re entitled to stay here, attend to the funeral and get the will reading done.”

“I don’t care about the will,” he huffed, the idea of sitting there like an idiot, hearing the count of his father’s fortune sounded like a serious torture. He didn’t care, he already told them to stuff it – attending to that was more like his goodwill than an actual wish to stay. At least for the sake of his mother. But hearing his sister saying he was going to spend another night in this hellhole without any means to get away, his resolution of not to bringing back the bad blood was slowly dissolving.

“Harry, stop being difficult,” she hissed at him and he was pretty sure it was probably as bad for her as it was for him. Both of them weren’t on good terms with their father, so when he passed away, Harry knew even Silvia refused to shed a tear. Nor did he.

He considered this whole show absolutely degrading.

“Is your imaginary wife waiting for you at home with dinner? Because in other case, you can devote one more day of your precious free time to your own damn family.”

His eyes narrowed and she smirked victoriously. As always with the _spoken for_ rule – she got married, he never did. She could use her ring to show him she was not a selfish, solitude seeking hermit, and he didn’t have a right to bring out his own problems while his only real care had been his own wellbeing. She had kids, grandchildren even, and a husband.

She also drank and she hadn’t been sleeping with her man for about a four years. That was, of course, not a common knowledge and Harry was definitely not going to bring it up – albeit he could if he was feeling especially vicious towards her patronizing posture. Or her husband.

“You know very well I’m _still_ not married,” he told her simply, making her smirk even wider. He didn’t know why it was always such a big concern of hers, like she won something with being strained with kids and a man who smoked too much.

“Yes, therefore-,”

“But my soulmate is not going to like it.”

She shut up, her eyes went wide. Fine, it was a low blow to use Eggsy like that, but hell if it wasn’t successful.

He sipped his coffee quietly and checked his phone out of habit, noticing there was a text with a picture from Eggsy as if he got called to do that to make Silvia even madder.

He stared at the picture for several moments before he chuckled and read the text instead.

**Eggsy – 10:30 – I’ve got another ice queen! She says hi -coldly-. Said you’d understand the language of the ice.**

**Harry – 10:59 – No mere mortal would understand, feel free to be confused.**

**Eggsy – 11:00 – Har har, good morning, sleepyhead. Do I have your attention now?**

**Harry – 11:02 – Partly. Partly it’s also my coffee.**

**Eggsy- 11:05 – Lame. You need to make priorities. When are you coming back?**

Harry put down the phone for a while and glanced back at his sister who apparently was still in shock, since her expression didn’t change.

“So, the notary?” he asked her shortly.

“Soulmate?” she countered with disbelief in her voice. “For real?”

“For real.”

“Why you didn’t tell me?” her question surprised him. They weren’t in very good relations since they parted after university – he wouldn’t have expected her to ask such thing, or even be interested. He merely informed her to shut her up, since all her jabs about him not being married while she was very early in her life (not a soulmate though, albeit she never seemed to mind not to be one of the happy lot nor she grew jealous of others who were) were pissing him off every time.

“Why would I?” he opposed with a shrug. “It’s not like it’s important.”

“You have a soulmate,” she shook her head vehemently. “You think it’s not important? It’s a blessing, Harry, for god’s sake. You should be telling _everyone_.”

“I’m telling you now,” he mumbled, scrolling back in the message thread for the photo Eggsy sent him. He looked so young there. And so happy. It was strange seeing him in such blissed mood, after all those moments he usually showed wholesomely different expressions. It made him a bit homesick.

“How long are you bonded?” she tilted her head to the side, watching him almost curiously.

“Not long.”

“Meaning?” she urged him on and Harry sighed.

“Two weeks.”

She nodded, her eyes suddenly much more warm and understanding and Harry found it bizarre. She never really considered his private life important when she wanted something – and he considered their father’s funeral and the will reading as something she wanted to have done and dealt with.

“Stay at least for the funeral,” she said in a soft tone. “Sorry for keeping you away from your soulmate.”

“Sorry for not telling you.”

Her expression grew sad for a moment, but then she attempted a weak smile and patted him on his shoulder. Harry thought he understood – partly – what she felt right now. Being siblings was one thing, but being dysfunctional family in a whole, it could be hard. And for her, Harry mused, it probably was.

It probably was even for him.

**Harry – 11:15 – Tomorrow.**

***

It was like tasting ash and a slight dose of despair, even after three hours after the dreadful thing. He felt numb and a little overdue, like there was no emotion in him left. All he could do was to stare at the coffin and not to feel a single thing. His sister sat next to him and she looked like somebody carved her to the stone, she didn’t move a single muscle in her face during the whole speech from the priest. They both probably felt rather disconnected already and sitting there, in a cold church, while being expected to shed tears, was just too much for either of them to provide. They accepted condolences, tried to look at least a little sad or, you know, feeling remorse, and when it was finally over, they gave each other a tired look and went back to the house that still felt haunted of their father’s bitter presence.

Silvia looked like the last ounce of strength got drained from her, so when she excused herself to her room to rest, he didn’t blame her. He alone felt like his heart was missing now, like it turned jaded and black, and there was nothing of it left in his body. No compassion, no apologies, no words of encouragement. Even that it was over, he still had a feeling it sort of dragged him down.

He walked through the quiet house in sure steps, although he hadn’t been here for about twenty years, give or take. Yet he still remembered which floor creaked more, where he could find old photos his father hid like a memento, and in the end where he kept the globe with expensive scotches and other kind of alcohol. He meant to sit there with Silvia, probably, to cheer up a little and reach out to her, but now it seemed better on his own anyway.

His father kept the study in the same, polished shape as ever. Clinically clean and sorted, like a small sanctuary for him to sit in and hate the world in peace. Harry had to admit that for a moment he felt a strange fear to sit in the same chair as him, like the hatred could start overcome him as well, but the longer he stood in between the door, the less it seemed plausible, so in the end he entered with his breath held and got relieved when he didn’t feel any different.

Maybe more tired, he mused.

He circled the chair and the globe and opened it with a curious glance inside. All his father’s favourite brands of scotch and whiskey had been sitting there like an invitation and Harry promptly reached for one, poured himself a bit and sat down with a weary sigh.

He could have gone home. It seemed like every other minute in this place somehow drained him. But the thought of leaving Silvia dealing with all the damn business alone seemed rather cruel, even for him.

He sipped the drink, the slight burning lolling over his tongue pleasantly, and reached for his phone. The last message from Eggsy had been unhappy with _you said today_ , but Harry didn’t have time or strength to reply to that. It felt wrong to drag the boy to this unpleasant event, or even tell him about it, when all it was making people do was to feel sorry and saying words they didn’t even mean, or out of courtesy.

“Sorry,” he typed to the message, four hours later from the received one. “Something came up.”

When he hit send, he felt sluggish and slightly guilty. When he had been so damn unattached from his family, from the true, blood-related people he grew up with, how was he supposed to make a happy life with Eggsy? What could he offer him? The same jaded bitterness his father had? The same cold attitude and horrid habits, the same drinking alone and keeping strange hobbies, the separate bedrooms and a gift to make people hate him?

The kid deserved so much better. Not him, old and tired of life and now even sure he couldn’t feel the damn thing anymore like somebody sucked all the emotions from him. Must have been the dreadful speech the priest gave. It was like listening to a bad liar.

He almost dropped his drink when his phone went off, the insistent ringtone making his heart race, and he picked it up with a lump in his throat.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t _yeah_ me,” Eggsy’s voice. He sounded angry and Harry didn’t really blame him. He answered after pretty long time and didn’t even give him any explanation. And he promised to be home today and yet he sat here still, scotch in hand, and zero care for the world.

 _Damn_.

“What happened? What came up? Where are you even?” the flood of questions came like somebody opened a dam. “Harry, for fuck’s sake, talk to me.”

“Funeral,” he replied quietly. “Came up.”

Silence. He heard Eggsy taking a sharp breath and then probably paced, since he heard footsteps on the other side of the line.

“Sorry,” came an expected reaction. “I didn’t… sorry.”

“It’s quite alright,” Harry assured him – and it was, probably, somehow. He wasn’t sad his father died, selfishly. He didn’t even care. All he felt was numbness that came along. Some sort of revelation he despised.

“There is a mandatory will reading,” he tried to explain, at least to Eggsy. He deserved to know, now, when they were actually talking. “And the notary just didn’t have the time. So he should arrive tomorrow, hopefully. I just couldn’t leave, I’m sorry.”

“I get it,” Eggsy responded with surprising ease. “I guess. Damn. Is there anything I can do for you?”

Harry contemplated it a bit. Eggsy was… he was something else. He was probably the light Harry didn’t think he would ever get and just talking to him seemed to make everything slightly easier.

“Hug would be nice,” he said almost without thinking. Just the feeling of his warmth would be enough, Harry though. Calming and gentle.

A long, suffering sigh.

“Where exactly are you, anyway?”

“Leeds,” he answered without a second thought and Eggsy hummed.

“Never been in Leeds before,” he heard him saying and it made him smile.

“Wish I hadn’t been either,” he answered bitterly. “It’s cold in here, the house is probably haunted and the tea sucks.”

“Sounds like a horror,” Eggsy agreed, and there was humour in his voice, making Harry relax. He missed it. He missed him.

“I miss you,” he whispered, an insistent tug in the mark like an answer of his longing, and Eggsy took a deep breath on the other side of the line.

“I miss you too,” he told him back gently and all Harry wanted to do included keeping the boy close and pray everything else that made him so damn cold-hearted away.

Eggsy was making him better. He was making him feel.

“Leeds and where exactly?”

It took Harry a moment before he understood what Eggsy had been asking, and before he even thought of it, the address of his father’s house of despair flew out of his mouth without hesitation.

“Why?” he asked after when he heard Eggsy scribbling the info on the paper, or at least it sounded that way.

“Coming for that fucking hug.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> I made myself sad.


	22. A Broken Mug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You have quite a mouth on you,” she commented with an eye roll. “You might actually fit Harry the best. He’s uncultured in the similar fashion.”  
> “True,” he let his tone higher to match her posh tone. “I never heard him quote Shakespeare on me in bed; I should reprimand him on such matter.”  
> She sputtered her tea back into the cup and Eggsy called it a win.

If London was rainy when he was leaving it behind him, Leeds was beyond wet. The sky was already dark and street lamps were the only thing that actually revealed the weather with its soft orange hue before you felt it on your own skin. It was chilly and close to the snow and Eggsy wondered why he didn’t think of bringing something warmer with him, or at least anything that would shield him from the rain. He felt drenched and a little cold when he was reaching for the doorbell, and also slightly nervous about the fact the apprehension could be worse than he was anticipating when he made this hasty decision. It seemed like a perfect idea when he called Harry, because the man sounded like he would really appreciate it (not to mention sounding broken, which was like a punch to Eggsy’s gut – he didn’t tell him it was so serious, that it included funeral and not just some business he had to take care of, that he was grieving and Eggsy felt like a jerk for pressuring him about his own comfort), but now, when he was standing in front of the building that looked more like a horror mansion from a really bad movie, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

Somebody died in Harry’s family, for fuck’s sake. He had to be beyond sad and definitely didn’t have time or mood to deal with more than was already on his plate. What Eggsy even though when he sat on the plane? Probably nothing much, except of _Harry_ and that wasn’t really the best excuse he could give the man.

He still pressed the doorbell though, lamely and without any proper excuse of his presence, and waited. It took about fifteen seconds before the door actually opened and there was a brown haired woman standing in them, staring at him coldly. Her eyes were slightly puffy like she had been crying and Eggsy felt even worse for interrupting this whole thing, no matter that apart from that she looked almost clinically pristine, like an old fashioned movie villain.

“Yes?” she drawled out like he bothered her immensely, and Eggsy had to admit he probably did, since it was almost ten. He cleared his throat and checked the number on the house again, just to be sure.

“I’m here for Harry Hart.” His voice sounded rather weak and unstable under the piercing gaze of the woman. Her eyes scanned him like she was trying to place him somehow, the familiar shade of brown that immediately reminded him of his lover (and yes, his _lover_ , he was so done with calling him _soulmate_ so coldly), and then she tilted her head to the side.

“Are you his student?” she asked unhappily and Eggsy blinked.

“Technically,” he shrugged, watching her taking a deep breath like she wanted to give him piece of her mind (probably not a nice one), but then there was a noise behind her and Eggsy felt himself melting on the spot when he noticed Harry approaching the door. His eyes were wide and surprised, but he walked fast past the woman, towards Eggsy standing there, and before either of them could say anything, he crushed the blond in his arms like in a vice.

“You’re here,” he mumbled into Eggsy’s damp jacket and breathed him in.

“I’m here,” Eggsy assured him with a soft smile and hugged him back, immediately feeling the perfect warmth that was coming in waves from Harry, making him feel like at home, no matter where he was.

Only the clearing of a throat alerted him of the presence of the first person who opened the door and Eggsy reluctantly let go, giving her a sheepish smile.

“Sorry. I’m-,”

“Not his student,” she interrupted him sternly, giving Harry a disgusted look. “Really, brother? A kid?”

Harry didn’t look like wanted to talk to her, but when she kept on staring, he pulled Eggsy inside of the house and led him to the living room, showing him the leather couch to sit on.

“Give me a minute,” he kissed his forehead tenderly and Eggsy nodded in silence, watching him disappearing into another door with the woman.

Well, _the woman._ That definitely was somebody related – sister, probably. Their resemblance was stunning and little eerie, especially when he saw the same coldness he used to see in Harry’s eyes before this whole soulmate business happened.

It was strange, he thought. Like in a very old, black and white movie, while he was sitting on a leather couch, quiet and obedient, and the voices from the other room were hushed so he couldn’t distinguish what they were saying. It lasted for about five minutes before Harry finally emerged, shoulders tense and eyes sharp, and Eggsy wondered if he posed a bigger problem than he thought.

Maybe his sister just didn’t like visitors? He meant to ask her, but when she walked out of the room too, she didn’t even stop anywhere near the couch and disappeared in a corridor, lips thin and posture rather unhappy.

“Bad timing?” Eggsy piped when Harry watched her leave. It was probably a bit too strong show of emotions for the woman, and judging from Harry’s expression the talk had been pretty bad.

“As bad as any other,” Harry replied tiredly and finally looked at him. He seemed on board of exhausted and Eggsy hated that look on him so much. He reached for him with his hand and Harry went easily, sitting down with a huff and letting Eggsy lean to him to share some heat. There was silence for a moment and Eggsy counted the breaths Harry took – slow and quiet – and then Harry’s hand curled around Eggsy’s waist and he buried his face into the crook of Eggsy’s neck and shoulder.

“I don’t understand _how_ you got here so fast,” he heard him saying quietly. “But thank you.”

“Anytime,” he replied easily and felt Harry smile against his skin. It was soft, warm and absolutely perfect.

***

Silvia wasn’t perfect. From the first moment she set her eyes on him, cold and calculating, he knew it was going to be rough. It reminded him of Harry for the first time they saw each other in class, the immediate tenseness and simple knowledge their coexistence would be a challenge, but in a slightly different note.

Silvia was simply unapproachable. She held herself proud and silent, sometimes looking judgmental, but mostly she just passed him without reaction like he wasn’t even there. According to Harry she wasn’t very happy with his presence – soulmate or not – but on the other hand it seemed like Harry just didn’t care _at all_. He didn’t leave Eggsy alone for a single moment since he arrived, and if Silvia wanted to be rude or antagonistic, he blocked her easily.

“Just don’t mind her,” Harry told him while he nodded towards the stairs, so Eggsy went that way. There was an urge to go and snoop around the house, because as eerie as it seemed it was also something connected to Harry’s past. For some reason it had a strange kind of appeal and Eggsy wondered if asking for a tour would be too daring. Especially now, when he came here unannounced and in the most inconvenient time ever.

“No problem for me,” he replied with a shrug, although _not minding_ was a bit far from his list. As much as he used to live without thinking of consequences, he definitely didn’t want to have Harry’s relatives to be angry at him.

Imagine the Christmas dinners, ugh.

Harry quietly led him to the second floor and everything seemed rather too sterile around there, like nothing had been moved for ages and if it was, the person doing it would be cursed forever. There was nothing on the walls – no paintings, no cases with something to show. It was like walking through a hospital. When Harry opened the third door in the hall and revealed a cold looking room, Eggsy felt his throat tighten. Everything was either white or wooden, drowning in brown or golden. There was nothing happy about the place, nothing warm and definitely nothing cosy. For a minute Eggsy felt the chills running down his spine, as if this room was trying to push him away.

“What a place,” he mumbled towards Harry uncomfortably and the older man smiled in apology.

“This house had always the worst guest’s rooms ever,” he elaborated and slowly walked towards the bed where he sat with a heavy sigh. He was still in a black suit with a neat, slim tie and white shirt, and everything about him seemed rather sharp and unapproachable, like he was trying to make himself a fortress, so people would leave him alone. Eggsy was used to him wearing different suits – blue, grey, brown, striped or just generally not only _black_. This definitely screamed _death_ all over the place and Eggsy found himself reaching for Harry’s jacket automatically, trying to push it off him.

Harry didn’t say anything, but his eyes followed Eggsy’s hand curiously, even complied to move enough for the blond to succeed in his quest, and then turned back to stare at his face, like the conversation turned to dust.

“I don’t like the black on you,” Eggsy whispered, pulling at the tie stubbornly. “It’s just _wrong_.”

“And here I thought it makes me fashionable,” Harry returned easily, but there was no smile on his lips. Eggsy eased off the knot and removed the tie completely.

“It makes you sad.”

“I’m sure that’s not really the clothes’ fault.”

“Yeah,” Eggsy nodded quietly, noting the weariness that clung to Harry like a plague. It was around the corners of his mouth, in the depths of his eyes, in the posture that kept on dragging him low. Maybe it was mainly this damn place that was affecting him this way and Eggsy didn’t like it.

“Why didn’t you tell me why you needed to leave?” he asked and Harry seemed like not wanting to answer. He held Eggsy’s gaze steadily and then one of his hands sneaked around Eggy’s hip, holding him there, gently caressing.

“I didn’t want you to be involved,” he said after a moment, thoughtfully, like the answer was important. “I didn’t want you to be here.”

“You don’t want me to be here?”

“I’d prefer not,” the deadly honesty stung a little and Eggsy kept the frown that was fighting its way to his face, off with difficulty. “This place… it’s just bad.”

“Why?” the blond tilted his head to the side, the gentle rubbing on his hip calming him down from the bitterness that came from Harry’s words.

“I’ve wanted to be done in a day and get back, never see it again in my life,” came a reply and a deep sigh. “I thought I could keep it short and not let it get to me, so you’d never had to say _sorry_ or looking like you do now.”

“How do I look?”

“Sad,” Harry replied quietly. “Pitying.”

“Somebody from your family just died, Harry,” Eggsy pointed out. He didn’t even know _who_. “It’s not a pity. It’s compassion.”

“What a big words you’re using,” a smart remark, but it was missing the heat and Eggsy knew it. The frown won and he grumbled little.

“Say whatever you want,” he pushed into his shoulder as a reprimand. “You could have told me. I wouldn’t demand coming with you or anything. I’d offer, but you could always say no and I’d get it, alright? I’m not a fucking leech.”

“Never said you are.”

“Well, you apparently thought I’d want to go if you’ve told me, so maybe you thought I am,” Eggsy opposed, feeling childish for such argument, but he couldn’t take it back no matter what. Harry kept on watching him, the movement of his hand slowing down like he was starting to get agitated and then he let go completely.

“I got promised a hug,” he concluded after several seconds.

“You got it already,” Eggsy uttered, feeling colder by each passing minute. He managed to get rid of the drenched jacket, but it didn’t really help. The heat radiating from Harry was inviting, but he felt a barrier between them he alone created like a stubborn pup. Why he always had the urge to nag?

“I don’t recall,” Harry shrugged and Eggsy shook his head. It was apparent the talk wasn’t the favourite thing he wanted to do – and Eggsy didn’t really blame him – but the more they dwelled on it, the more he had the need to settle it somehow. He opened his mouth to say something, but Harry’s firm _no_ stopped him dead in the tracks.

“Don’t start an argument,” it wasn’t even a warning, maybe some sort of plea and Eggsy deflated like a balloon. “You’re right. I’m sad and also tired and black is an awful colour when you have to wear it because death crept into your life, but you’re here and I want to feel you, so _please_.”

Eggsy felt himself nodding and then he leaned forward, destroying the barrier in one go, straddling Harry’s thighs and locking him in an embrace. He heard Harry huff softly and pull him closer, warming up, feeling the other’s heartbeat for how close they were to each other. Harry’s hand started to run through Egssy’s hair almost in a soothing manner and Eggsy found himself relaxing and almost boneless after a moment, the peacefulness seeping into him even despite the unfriendly room and damp clothes.

The surroundings were strange, he thought. He could tell Harry didn’t like it here – and quite frankly he didn’t either, despite the morbid curiosity to see the rest of the house just to _know_. Who lived here? To whom it belonged to? What made Harry so unhappy to be here – or to have Eggsy here? Bad memories maybe?

“Who died?” he asked almost too quietly for Harry to hear, but he could tell the man noticed, since he hummed softly. It was a heartless question, he knew, but somehow he couldn’t help himself but to ask. Silvia seemed to take it harder than her brother and he wondered why.

“Our neighbour’s canary,” Harry deadpanned like it was completely normal and Eggsy rolled his eyes, too tired to actually lift his head to show him what he thought of such stupid excuse.

“I hate you,” he told him instead and Harry chuckled.

“What a pity. I actually love you.”

“Sneaky,” Eggsy smiled against the skin of Harry’s neck and kissed it just for a good measure. “I can’t believe you’re actually mine.”

“You have plenty of time to get used to it,” Harry responded and it made Eggsy laugh quietly.

“Smooth as fuck.”

***

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to get your clothes off.”

“My, my, what a naughty boy you are.”

“Eggsy, lift your hips so I can get rid of your pants.”

There was an evident exasperation in Harry’s voice and if Eggsy hadn’t been so sleepy, he would laugh. He did what he got told though, lifting his hips up so Harry could pull the offensive garment off, and it was absolutely bizarre to lay there just in his briefs while Harry was throwing all his clothes on one pile beside the bed.

“How bold of ya,” he smirked when the man was seemingly done and returned to the lying position, throwing a blanket over Eggsy’s almost naked form. “Never heard of foreplay?”

“Never heard of not sleeping in wet clothes?” Harry shot back gruffly and Eggsy had an urge to stick his tongue at him, but he stopped himself in time. He was feeling chilly, yeah, but he didn’t want to disturb the fragile balance, so he just kept the clothes on him, until Harry decided he didn’t like it. Not that he blamed him – it had to be rather cold, especially when Eggsy was flush against him.

“Might have,” he indulged him and snuggled back to Harry’s form. It got even colder now, without anything else beside the blanket to cover him.

“And I might have heard of foreplay.”

“Good,” Eggsy grinned into Harry’s half opened shirt. “Because I happen to love foreplay to bits.”

”You don’t seem the type,” Harry kissed the top of his head fondly and it made Eggsy smile like an idiot. “More like jumping right to shagging.”

“Shagging,” the blond repeated it with a snort. “You have a bad assessment of people, you know that?”

“So I was told.”

“You seem like the type who consider drinking tea the foreplay and then doing it fully clothed while looking away,” he picked on him mercilessly and could feel like Harry shook with laughter.

“Surprisingly I’m all for looking right at my lover,” he responded with a chuckle and it made Eggsy hum appraisingly. “But there can’t be any naked skin showing.”

“Not even an ankle?”

“I might faint if there was.”

“Too much excitement?” Eggsy could barely contain his laughter and was rather glad he didn’t see Harry’s face right now, or he would be laughing until the morning.

“I’m already in age, it would be quite a hazard,” he delivered easily and Eggsy had to bite his lower lip to keep quiet. No matter that Harry’s hands were freely roaming Eggsy’s naked back and even brushed along his thighs, it all seemed so natural he couldn’t really think anything of it.

“While groping me is absolutely alright,” he teased him and nudged his leg with his feet, earning a huff.

“Groping?” Harry repeated and his hands stilled. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I’m pretty sure I do,” Eggsy pushed higher, circling his arms around Harry’s shoulders and evened their eyes so they could see each other’s face. Harry had a soft smile on his lips and it was perfect.

Well, until there was a gleam in his eyes and suddenly the hands repositioned themselves right on Eggsy’s butt, pulling him flush against Harry’s body, grabbing a handful.

“ _This_ is groping, love,” the smile changed into a smirk, especially when Eggsy let out a squeak that definitely didn’t sound manly (and which he was going to deny every time Harry would bring it up).

“Fucker,” he laughed a little breathlessly and before Harry could deliver another smug notion, Eggsy kissed him to shut him up.

It was super effective.

***

“How old are you again, _Eggsy_?”

The apparent hostility in Silvia’s voice was almost physical and Eggsy felt himself cringing at it. Harry left the room when his phone rang and there was an apparent anticipation in her features as if she waited for such thing to happen. He wouldn’t be even surprised if she orchestrated it as well.

“Old enough to tie my shoelaces,” he said evenly, noting how her face grew stony.

The tea he got turned somewhat bitter and he even lost his appetite. This morning seemed weird right from the beginning – the room in which he woke up was still the same tomb and Harry was already gone too, leaving Eggsy with a cold spot in the bed. The true hostility of the house fell on him right the moment he got out of the last warmth that was left, and for a moment he wasn’t sure what to do so the house wouldn’t swallow him whole.

He was glad Harry was thoughtful enough to borrow him some clothes, since his were still damp on the pile where they left them in the evening – although he kept the pants, since Harry’s were sort of… unfitting (he appreciated the thought though and even tried them on, for shite and giggles).

Now, sitting there with Silvia in her brother’s garments seemed like taunting the bull. He thought she was going to murder him with her eyes only when he appeared in the kitchen, and if Harry wasn’t there to greet him with a gentle kiss on his forehead, she would probably hiss like an angry cat and claw him to death.

But there might have been this intention still lodged in, since the devious look returned right the moment Harry walked out of the room.

“Well,” she drawled and he knew there was something bad coming his way. “The soul bond-,”

“If you think the soul bond is a mistake, you’re wrong,” he interrupted her speech rather sternly. Hart’s siblings, so fucking alike it hurt. He was pretty sure if it was her who got into similar situation, she would try the _let’s ignore this_ trope as well. “And if you don’t like it, you can suck it whatever you please, because I care shite about your opinion – or anyone else’s on that matter.”

“You have quite a mouth on you,” she commented with an eye roll. “You might actually fit Harry the best. He’s uncultured in the similar fashion.”

“True,” he let his tone higher to match her posh tone. “I never heard him quote Shakespeare on me in bed; I should reprimand him on such matter.”

She sputtered her tea back into the cup and Eggsy called it a win.

“I’m just trying to understand what justify your presence in this place,” she wiped the table with a paper towel while looking surprisingly dignified. “Now, when our father died and _such matters_ are private.”

Eggsy froze. Their father? Harry’s dad died?

Well. Harry didn’t want to tell him. He didn’t even want him here on top of all that. From all Eggsy gathered Harry hated this place, and apparently even hated his now deceased parent, and this whole situation was like revenge from the grave.

“I’m sorry,” he managed weakly.

It was so damn bizarre. When Eggsy’s dad died, he was just a kid and he didn’t remember much. But even after all this time, he still felt a tangible pull on his heart whenever he thought of his father – in a nice, pleasantly aching way of missing him, yes, but having only the good memories of him too. Of course along with his death there was also his mum breaking down and all that around it which caused a lot of trouble, but the alone memory of his dad was always pristine and warm.

He couldn’t imagine hating him. He couldn’t even think of what it must have been like for Harry to grow up with such person when he ended up despising him so much he even detested his home.

“If it helps Harry focus a little,” Silvia spoke again, this time a little softer. “I guess it is kind of justified. And it would be mean from me to keep him away from you this early in the bonding too. I just want you to know this is rude.”

“Yeah,” Eggsy agreed helplessly. It was rude. It was so damn heartless too, to just barge in and demand attention.

“But you’re forgiven,” she added simply. “Just this once though.”

“What this once?”

Eggsy almost fell off the chair how Harry’s voice startled him, and there was a calming hand on his shoulder in seconds, when Harry stopped right between his and Silvia’s chair like he was shielding him.

“This once attending breakfast in such unfitting clothes,” she uttered slyly. “That are apparently not even _his_.”

“Should I remind you of your own exploits of sexual adventures with your boyfriend when you were seventeen and returned home in his shirt and smelling like sex?” Harry replied calmly and Eggsy almost choked on his tea.

Silvia stood up abruptly and fixed her skirt.

“No,” she said simply and left the kitchen in sure strides. Harry sat down like nothing happened and Eggsy thought his goddamn boyfriend definitely had _a mouth on him_.

***

** **

**Eggsy – 15:55 – I hate Leeds. It sucks.**

**Roxy – 16:00 – All I can see is Harry with a bag, looking like he just left a funeral.**

**Eggsy – 16:01 – Well, you’re not entirely wrong.**

**Roxy – 16:02 – Somebody died? :(**

**Eggsy – 16:03 - Mhm. I just want him back home.**

**Roxy – 16:04 – Wait, YOU are in Leeds NOW?**

**Eggsy – 16:05 – Yeah. Since y-day.**

“Are you ready to go?” a gentle voice interrupted his texting and Eggsy hid his phone and smiled.

“You have no idea _how_ ready I am.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Harry shortly touched Eggsy’s lower back and then nodded towards the cab waiting for them. “But for now let’s leave this wretched place.”

“You dirty minded bastard.”

The laugh he heard from Harry next was the nicest sound he ever heard in the fucking Leeds.

***

It took them about four hours and twenty five minutes before they managed to arrive back to London, stop by a restaurant to eat, take a bath and crash into the bed.

It took Harry approximately seven minutes and five seconds to fall asleep.

***

Eggsy didn’t really look at time when he woke up somewhere in the middle of the night and had a terrible urge to drink milk and eat an apple. He wasn’t really sure if Harry’s house even had those things, since Harry and grocery shopping weren’t the best buddies, but he sneaked out of the bed nevertheless, padding downstairs quietly and barefooted and stole Harry’s red bathrobe.

The house was dark and super quiet, and really, wasn’t it a bit too big for one person only? Not that he judged Harry’s style, but still. How he was walking through the hallway and down the stairs, it all seemed rather more surreal than before. In comparison to Harry’s father house – the place he apparently hated to bits – this building was a lot brighter and warmer. It was like Harry tried to put everything that would deem opposite to his childhood home to this place, just to prove his dad wrong.

Even the kitchen, where Eggsy stopped in his quest, was much more welcoming than the one in Leeds. How did it go on the will reading? He didn’t ask Harry about it when they left the city. The house was probably part of it, right? Maybe Silvia wanted it. He couldn’t imagine Harry being interested in inheriting a place he didn’t even want to stay in.

He shuffled towards the fridge and opened it with a very little hope of actually finding what he was searching for. The light almost blinded him, but after a moment he surprisingly spotted the milk box and pulled it out.

One sniff and he poured it all into the sink.

_Oh well, too much to hope for I guess._

“I didn’t know thieves these days clean the victim’s fridges.”

Eggsy almost jumped out of his skin when Harry’s voice sounded behind him, and Harry definitely noticed, since he chuckled and switched on the light.

“Don’t do this to me!” the blond hissed, shielding his eyes for a moment from the sudden brightness. Harry was standing at the switch with a smug smile on his lips, looking somewhat dishevelled and not as sleepy as he should have been.

“I don’t think thieves have a right to make demands, really,” came a reply and then Harry was walking closer towards the blond, until he backed him up to the kitchen desk, trapping him between his arms. “That would be pretty messed up, don’t you think?”

“Do I look like a thief?” Eggsy opposed, tilting his head to the side and Harry looked him over with a quirked eyebrow.

“Judging from the fact you actually _stole_ my bathrobe…”

“I was cold.”

“Stole my bathrobe,” Harry repeated like he didn’t hear anything. “And that’s a crime.”

“Bullshit, it would be if I left with it,” Eggsy opposed and gave Harry a cheeky grin. “As far as I am here, you can’t prove _anything_.”

“You’re wearing it without my consent,” Harry pointed out, not backing up an inch and Eggsy slowly picked on his black sleeping shirt and pulled teasingly.

“That’s your word against mine. I can tell the police you lent it to me,” he told him sweetly and Harry’s eyebrows shot up.

“Aren’t you a clever boy.”

“And you found out _now_?” Eggsy poked his chest like it insulted him, but Harry didn’t really pay much of his attention to the gesture. Instead he brought their hips closer and his hands stayed on Eggsy’s waist.

“Just one thing,” his voice dropped dramatically low and Eggsy felt hair on the back of his neck stand up at it. “You’re absolutely impossible and I have no idea how I deserved you, but be assured I’m _not_ letting you go, _ever_ , bathrobes thief or not.”

“I can deal with that,” the blond’s lips stretched into a pleased smile and he kind of wondered why, since his heart skipped a beat at it and the first thing that came to his mind was _holy shite, yes! a_ nd not really looking like he just melted on the spot (well, he probably sort of did).

“Good to know,” Harry’s expression cleared again but his hands got busy when he started to open the bathrobe with sure movements.

“Hey, now _this_ is stealing,” Eggsy accused him with a snort. Harry didn’t stop even for a bit and before Eggsy could say anything else, he was already pulling it off his shoulders.

“Merely taking back what is mine,” Harry mumbled, threw the bathrobe away and latched his mouth on Eggsy’s neck like a vampire.

It was more like _insert smart comment here_ moment, but all Eggsy could do was moan embarrassingly loud while Harry’s _mine_ echoed in him like a thunderstorm, and grab then man by his shoulders to still himself enough to stay on his feet.

“I’m b-basically naked, shouldn’t you be mortified or somethin’?” he breathed out under the onslaught of Harry’s lips and hands and for fuck’s sake, he was all over him.

“Must be a miracle,” he heard Harry whisper into his ear, and seriously, that was a foul play. The excitement was almost too much to bear and he could feel the mark on his neck almost humming if that was ever possible. No pain, no unpleasant tugging, just a simple, content hum that reverbed through his whole body, and for the first time ever since he got the mark, he just knew it was _right_.

Harry’s hands slid down from Eggsy’s waist to his hips and then he picked him up on the kitchen desk, fitting perfectly between his open legs. The cold surface was a shocking contrast to Eggsy’s heated up body and to the warmth that he could feel from Harry, and really, they didn’t even kissed yet and he could feel his head spinning.

“And I’ve just wanted an apple,” he muttered when Harry started to nibble on his collarbone, and he could feel the man hesitate and look up.

“Should I stop?” Harry asked quietly and Eggsy’s eyes went wide.

“You do that and the stolen bathrobe would be the last thing I’d have to explain to the police in this house,” he circled Harry’s hips firmly and his lover barked out a laugh.

“Thank goodness,” he breathed out and before Eggsy could scold him for actually doubting the willingness, he finally kissed him.

***

He didn’t know Harry had it in him, but the kitchen sex as the first together experience was absolutely flawless. Except of the broken mug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> Sorry for the lack of proper smutty scene, I might remedy that in some sort of one shot later on, but other than that - this is the end. If you have any question or want to see a concrete scene or event to happen, feel free to leave it in my ask box here or on tumblr and I'll definitely write it :)
> 
> Anyway, thank you for the fantastic ride and your awesome support and comments. It made me really happy and I'm glad this fandom has such an awesome base. Thank you all <3


	23. One Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I meant to do it in the bed,” Harry nuzzled his neck and Eggsy moaned when the angle got just right that his toes curled at it. “But you decided to steal my bathrobe and raid my fridge.”  
> “You were asleep,” Eggsy pointed out and pushed up just to avenge his pride somehow – and successfully, Harry’s hips stuttered and he had to take a deep breath.   
> “Asleep,” Harry repeated, giving Eggsy an evil eye and the blond smiled innocently under him. “Not dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated rather M-ish.

“It was my favourite mug.”

“I told you I’m-ah! Told you ’m sorry-,” not that it really mattered, it seemed like Harry wasn’t even listening. The insistent kisses – bites – and kisses again were slowly descending lower and Eggsy was pretty sure – or would be, if his brain worked – that there were going to be marks all over his skin. Probably all over his body. Harry seemed to have an evident need to kiss every inch of him – and that bastard wasn’t even against using teeth at times (not that it wasn’t hot). The occasional scrape was scrambling Eggsy’s brain terribly.

“Sorry won’t get me a new one,” Harry replied from somewhere around Eggsy’s stomach, where he licked a long stripe of skin. “Unless you’re a magician.”

“I didn’t get my Hogwarts letter, sorry,” Eggsy shot back and moaned again when Harry found a particular spot on his navel he liked to explore more thoroughly. “For fuck’s sake, Harry-!”

“Stay still,” the man seized his hips to keep him from squirming. “Last time I checked you’re not a fish out of water to move around like that.”

“Sorry for having nerve endings, smartass.”

A hot puff of air hit his skin when Harry laughed above him and Eggsy cursed when his lover opened his legs and started kissing his inner thighs. He was so doing it on purpose – avoiding the place Eggsy was wanting him touch the most – and he was pretty sure Harry was having a guilty pleasure out of it. If Eggsy wanted to be poetic, or like really, really love struck, he would say Harry’s touches felt fucking worshipping, like he _wanted_ , but also needed to enjoy it to the fullest and not rushing it no matter how much Eggsy begged.

And he didn’t beg. Yet.

He was close to it though.

“You’re going to drive me insane,” he whined, because it wasn’t begging, but it also conveyed the message he was really, really impatient and he wanted to get the show on the road. Harry just bit him though and continued on his quest like Eggsy said nothing.

“And here I thought it was you who talked about loving the foreplay to bits,” came a comment and Eggsy hated his past self with passion. Of course, he enjoyed foreplay as much as the next guy but this was just _mean_. Not to mention lying on the kitchen table where Harry carried him (and in which process Eggsy threw down the cursed mug) was like from a porn movie and Eggsy wasn’t aware of staring in one. But it wasn’t bad. Damn, it was the exact opposite – having Harry’s full attention while it was him who initiated _more_ , and Eggsy seriously loved when Harry was all dominant.

If he just moved a little south-

“Oh fuck!”

“Look how flushed you are.”

“Harry,” Eggsy hissed warningly, his hips bucking up almost against his will, and Harry was smirking down at him like a fucking king of the world. “I swear to whoever is listening that if you won’t _do something_ , I’m going to lose my freaking mind!”

“Let’s see if you can get as far as I did in that,” Harry responded in a low voice and it shot right into Eggsy’s groin, which completely destroyed his patience. Before Harry could even comprehend what was going on, he yanked him forward by the shirt he still wore (and which was unfair) and crashed their lips together, immediately demanding entrance. When Harry made a guttural sound into Eggsy’s mouth, the boy counted it as a win and just pressed against him harder until he was able to circle his legs around Harry’s narrow hips to find the right friction.

From there it escalated quickly – Eggsy dragged Harry’s shirt off, Harry sucked more vicious hickeys on his neck and there was so much naked skin Eggsy didn’t know where to touch first. Harry was super responsive and really attentive and if Eggsy wanted to be completely honest, he got overwhelmed by the amount of patience the man had. He didn’t push anything until Eggsy was completely relaxed or panting like a cheap whore and nudging Harry to continue (still not begging though, that would need words and words were really difficult to form right now).

“Who would have t-thought,” he groaned, clutching to Harry’s shoulders for dear life. “That you had it in ya.”

“I think it’s you who have it in you right now,” Harry replied with another bite to Eggsy’s neck and if Eggsy wasn’t so thoroughly done at the moment, he would have laughed hysterically. But really, laughter was the last thing he wanted to do, especially when Harry was right and the intrusion was so damn good his brain refused to deal with anything else.

“Doing in the kitchen,” he drawled out as retribution anyway, since Harry had been smooth as fuck, and when he pushed him back down on the desk his expression was too pleased. Eggsy circled his arms around his shoulders and kept him there while his hips bucked up without any evident rhythm, more like to tease, and hummed contently when Harry slowed down to gently peck him without any rush.

There was a burn Eggsy was sure he was going to feel the next day (and probably several days after), but he would be damned if it wasn’t the sexiest thing that ever happened to him. Especially when Harry’s eyes were black with lust and his hair ruffled from Eggsy’s insistent pulling, and there was one red hickey shining on his neck when Eggsy got a chance and will to actually mark him as well. It was high and there was no fucking way he would be able to hide it with a collar tomorrow.

It was a small revenge for how Eggsy’s body had to look – or was going to look tomorrow.

“I meant to do it in the bed,” Harry nuzzled his neck and Eggsy moaned when the angle got just _right_ that his toes curled at it. “But you decided to steal my bathrobe and raid my fridge.”

“You were _asleep_ ,” Eggsy pointed out and pushed up just to avenge his pride somehow – and successfully, Harry’s hips stuttered and he had to take a deep breath.

“Asleep,” Harry repeated, giving Eggsy an evil eye and the blond smiled innocently under him. “Not _dead_.”

“It’s not cool attacking a sleeping person,” Eggsy returned the banter with breathless laugh and his back arched when Harry resumed his pace with more strength into it. It was so damn _good_.

“But it’s cool to do it on the kitchen table,” Harry uttered dryly like it bothered him, but Eggsy couldn’t really complain. The sex was amazing and an unusual location just added spice to it. Bed would be nice, yeah, but just so _old fashioned_.

“It’s cool to do it on the kitchen table,” he grinned at the man happily, his chest heaving. “Cuz you’re hot everywhere.”

“Sweet talker.”

“Got a great teacher.”

“That’s just wrong on so many levels,” Harry mumbled, seizing Eggsy by his waist and pulling him back up. The sudden change of angle made Eggsy gasp and the white noise was getting closer by each passing second.

“C’mon, c’mon,” he chanted at him greedily. “So fucking _close_.”

“So bossy,” Harry chuckled into his ear and it made Eggsy whine. It was a deadly combo – the touches, the voice, the perfect joining of their bodies, the crazy heartbeat Eggsy could feel through his chest to Harry’s, like they were in a mad sync. He grinded down to push them both over the edge and it was building up like a lightning in his body, spreading through him to his fingertips, and before he even realized he had been shuddering while repeating Harry’s name like a mantra until he blissed out with an obscene moan.

It took him several minutes before he was able to comprehend his surroundings again, and feeling rather at loss when Harry let go of him. The feeling of a complete boneless post coital happiness was making him rather sluggish, so before he could react on Harry’s sudden distance, the man was back again with the bathrobe he previously threw away and he draped it over Eggsy’s shoulders like a blanket.

“Look at ya, prince bloody charming,” Eggsy gave him a lazy smile, earning a soft kiss and then a nibble on his lips.

“You and your mouth,” Harry sighed, but there was so much fondness in it Eggsy rather hid his face in the crook of Harry’s neck to avoid the melting point. He was perfectly spent and pleasantly tired, Harry was close and warm and amazing, and the first sex was fucking flawless. He so damn knew Harry would be a fucking good lover.

“I knew you’d be good in bed,” he smirked while Harry started to help him to get dressed. It had been a difficult task, since Eggsy felt like all his limbs were weighting a ton right now. It was a really good ache though.

“You don’t know if I’m good in bed,” the older man opposed and Eggsy raised an eyebrow. “In the kitchen on the other hand…”

“Smartass,” Eggsy rolled his eyes, but barked out a laugh anyway and let Harry to help him off the table. His legs were shaky and he almost dropped for a second, but Harry’s hand was sure and strong on his waist and it took him just a moment before he felt balanced enough to stand on his own.

“You’re so lucky I love you,” he pointed at Harry threateningly. “I feel like a new born lamb.”

“You’ll get used to it, love” Harry told him sweetly and there was such a brilliant promise in it that Eggsy didn’t really feel like commenting on it any further.

He was pretty much eager to train for it every fucking day.

***

They overslept and then gave up on leaving the bed. Harry called Eggsy _a bad influence_ , but it was him who turned off the phone and fell asleep again. Eggsy was only happy to take the blame and join him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbetad!
> 
> The promised smutty-ish chapter. Iiiiiit's... not even really that smutty xD Just something-something and you know the drill :D

**Author's Note:**

> Here I was, happy not to deal with another hartwin fic... until this came along.
> 
> Expect mischief, lots of swearing, maybe some angst and possibly, or hopefully, a happy end if those two would be kind enough to allow me.  
> I hope it won't disappoint! <3


End file.
